§ MR. LANE (Cork County, E.)I beg to ask the Postmaster General whether his attention has been called to the fact that an inexperienced telegraphist from a country railway station, who is not only unable to manipulate, but has never seen several of the instruments used in the Cork office, has been appointed this week to fill one of the vacancies in Cork, over the heads of skilled learners, who have been waiting over four years for this position; whether others have been recently appointed in a similar manner to the Cork office, who knew nothing whatever of the Wheatstone, quadruplex, or duplex working, and had to learn those instruments after appointment; and will he, in future appointments, consider the claims of learners trained at Cork, who are thoroughly acquainted with the various instruments in use, and with every description of public work?
§ THE POSTMASTER GENERAL (Mr. RAIKES, Cambridge University)No telegraphist, experienced or otherwise, has this week been appointed to the Cork Office; but a telegraphist has been recommended for transfer from a country railway station to Cork. This telegraphist is an expert manipulator, and, though he is stated to be at present unacquainted with some of the apparatus in use in a large office, would probably soon supply the defect. The same remark applies to other telegraphists who have been recently transferred to Cork. The learners at Cork have no claim to appointment, it being a condition of their becoming learners that they sign an understanding to that effect. I shall, however, in making appointments, always be glad to consider the learners as eligible candidates when they have made satisfactory progress.