§ MR. SMYTHasked the Surveyor General of Ordnance, Whether a Staff Paymaster appointed in July last is not a civilian, and whether the Royal Warrant forming the Control Department does not state that promotion in the Pay branch of that Department shall be by seniority; and if those facts are so, whether the appointment in question is not an act of injustice to those who entered this branch of the service on the faith of the wording of the Royal Warrant?
§ SIR HENRY STORKSIn reply, Sir, I have to state that the cashier of the Royal Clothing Depôt, a civilian, was appointed a Paymaster in the Control department upon his duties being merged into the Control Pay sub-department; that when one department has been merged into or transferred to another, it has always been the rule that the establishment is transferred with the work, care being taken that, as far as possible, the prospects of neither establishment are injured; that this was done in the present case, the officer who was transferred with his work being treated as entirely additional to the previous members of the Control department, which department also is benefited by the appointment of an additional officer of the rank of Paymaster, to which succession will occur in ordinary course.