§ MR. SEXTON) (Belfast, W.I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he has received any reply to his recent letter to the Irish Lights Board, asking for their observations upon the Memorial addressed to him by Mr. John M'Mahon, of Armagh, complaining that the Lights Board had refused to admit him to a competitive examination to fill a clerkship in their office; whether Mr. M'Mahon's application to be nominated for examination was supported by all the civic-members of the Irish Lights Board; whether the majority of the Board, in refusing the nomination, correctly represented that the Board of Trade had instructed them to present the names of no more than five candidates for the vacant office; and whether, pending the decision of the Board of Trade on the question of Mr. M'Mahon's right to present himself for examination, the examination will be postponed?
§ *THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD or TRADE (Sir M. HICKS BEACH,) Bristol. W.The Commissioners of Irish Lights have replied that they have no observations to offer upon Mr. John M'Mahon's Memorial. I have caused that gentleman to be informed accordingly, and that the Board of Trade have, as I stated in reply to a question of the hon. Member for North Louth the Session before last, no control over the Commissioners in the matter. I am not aware what members of the Lighthouse Board supported the application, or of the reasons given by the' majority for refusing it. When the Order in Council 822 settling the office establishment of the Lighthouse Board was made two years ago the Board of Trade made it a condition, in order that the competitive system might be introduced into this Service, that five candidates should be nominated by the Commissioners to compete for each vacant lower grade clerkship. As the Commissioners of Irish Lights are acting within their rights in this matter there is no decision for the Board of Trade to arrive at.