asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury to what extent since 1920 machince have been substituted for hand clerical labour in the Customs and Excise Department; and what is the estimated annual saving deriving from the substitution, allowance being made for the purchase and/or renting of machince, maintenance thereof, and material used in connection therewith?

Owing to changes in the character of the work of the Customs and Excise Department since 1920, no true comparison between that year and the present can be made. The use of machince has been largely extended, but it is not possible to estimate even approximately the resulting annual saving.