Written Answers
Customs And Excise Department
asked the Secretary to the Treasury what are the numbers of officers and surveyors of Customs (outdoor) origin at present serving in the Excise, and the number of Excise officers and Excise surveyors in the Customs branch of the amalgamated service?
There are not distinct Customs and Excise branches in the amalgamated service, as the question implies. Customs and Excise work has been combined in many localities, and it is not possible to state the numbers of officials of Customs origin who are performing work of Excise origin and of officials of Excise origin who are performing work of Customs origin at any particular moment.
Civil Service (Royal Commission)
asked the Prime Minister whether the Revenue Departments come within the scope of the recommendations of the Royal Commission in regard to the subject of a weekly half-holiday for Civil servants?
Yes, Sir, as far as regards the clerical classes, which alone formed the subject of the recommendation in question.
Land Purchase (Ireland)
asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that the tenants on the Cary-Caddell estate, in the county Roscommon, agreed to purchase their holdings in November, 1911, the landlord giving up the turbary, and that in March, 1912, the landlord's surveyor came on the, bogs and divided one-third of the turbary, giving three times as much to some tenants as others, and that this was contrary to the spirit of the purchase agreements, which gave the turbary absolutely to be vested in trustees for the benefit of the tenants, and who were bound by a turbary agreement to give each tenant an equal share in value; and what steps the Estates Commissioners are taking to see that this agreement is acted up to?
The estate referred to is the subject of proceedings by the owner direct to the tenants under the Irish Land Acts, and purchase agreements at prices agreed upon between the parties were lodged with the Estates Commissioners in October, 1911. The vendor was in occupation of a considerable area of bog on this estate, and the Commissioners understand that one of the terms of sale is that this bog should be handed over to trustees for the benefit of the tenants. The tenants' solicitor alleges that this bog has been encroached upon by some of the adjoining tenants, and has taken exception to the reduction in the area proposed to be vested in trustees. The Commissioners have informed the vendor's solicitors that unless the turbary dispute is settled they will have to consider the advisability of dismissing the proceedings.
Post Office
Railway Porter As Postman
asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that a railway porter is still doing postman's work at Dundonald, county Down; and if he can state when the postman will be allowed to resume the duty?
I will communicate further with the hon. Member. I find that the man in whom he is interested is not eligible for an established appointment.
Casual Labourers
asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware that casual labour is being employed on full-time sorting clerks' duties in the Dundee Post Office, postal branch; that the late Postmaster-General gave a promise that casual labour would only be resorted to when overtime became irksome on the remainder of the staff; that no complaint of excessive overtime has been made; and if he will issue instructions for the immediate withdrawal of the casual labour?
I am having inquiry made, and will communicate with the hon. Member.
Woman Telegraphist
asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that the senior woman telegraphist at Derby is employed on telephone duties and is thereby placed under control of an officer junior to her in service and in receipt of lower wages; that this telegraphist was refused the right of appeal to the surveyor, to whom she desired to submit her objections; and whether he will have inquiry made into the whole of the circumstances?
I find that the officer in question was employed for two hours on phonogram duties on June 24th, and was placed under the control of an officer junior in service but of superior rank. Any sorting clerk and telegraphist is liable to be called upon to perform postal, telegraph, or telephone duties as may be required, and supervision by officers of shorter service is sometimes unavoidable. Endeavour is, however, made to confine the employment on telephone duties to the junior sorting clerks and telegraphists, and I am having further inquiry made as to whether a junior officer was available in this case or not. The representations of the officer were not submitted to the surveyor in the present case, as a decision had previously been given on a precisely similar question.
Assaults On Police, Liverpool
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will consider the desirability of reducing the sentence passed on Mrs Booth by the stipendiary magistrate for Liverpool for assault on the police, as she was actuated by an endeavour to enter the Court for the purpose of paying her daughter's fine and resented the attempt to stop her?
I am not aware of the circumstances of the case, but I will make inquiry and communicate with the hon. Member.