§ MR. HEALYasked the Postmaster General, What is the number of officers belonging to English offices who have been transferred temporarily or permanently for duty in the Surveyor's Department in the Post Office in Ireland during the past seven years; the number belonging to Irish offices who have been similarly transferred to England; what special qualification was possessed by those English officials for their respective posts, which was wanting in the Irish officers; whether the heads of every Department in the Post Office Service in Ireland, with two exceptions, are Englishmen or Scotchmen, or officers drawn from those Countries; and, whether he will give an assurance that, in future vacancies, the Irish officers will not again be passed over by officers from English offices, or, as an alternative, to give the Irish officers a reciprocal advantage of being appointed to similar vacancies in England?
THE POSTMASTERIn replying to the inquiries of the hon. Member, I may say that the question of nationality in no degree affects my selection of officers for employment on surveying duty in either England, Scotland, or Ireland, those officers being chosen who are considered best qualified, without any regard to the land of their birth. I cannot, therefore, give any such assurance as the hon. Member asks me to give. In reply to his specific Questions, I beg leave to say that during the last seven years eight officers have been sent to Ireland from England, and one to England from Ireland, for employment on surveying duty. In each case such officer was selected either because no other possessed equal qualifications or could be spared for temporary duty when the employment was of that character. Of the heads of departments of the Post Office in Ireland, five, I be- 417 lieve, are Irishmen, one is an Englishman, and one a Scotchman.