BARON HENEY DE WOEMSasked the Secretary to the Treasury, Whether it is true, as stated in the "Civil Service Gazette," that a competition has lately been held for Class I. clerkships in the Civil Service, and that sixteen candidates have been selected for appointments to various Departments, although there are numerous "redundant" clerks, with from fifteen to twenty-five years' official experience in various branches of the Service waiting to be absorbed in the higher division?
§ MR. COURTNEYSir, a competition for superior clerkships in the Civil Service has recently taken place. It is also the fact that, in some Departments, there are certain clerks outside the proper organization of the office, who have a claim, if qualified, to be included in the upper division of their Department as soon as vacancies occur in it. But there are no such redundants in the 77 Departments to which appointments will be made from the recent competition; and there are -very great difficulties in transferring redundant clerks, possessing such experience as is described in the Question, from one Department to another, although the advantages of such a course is not lost sight of.