§ SIE T. ESMONDE (Dublin Co., S.)I beg to ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what reply has been made to the petition of the Excise officers sent in May last to the Board of Inland Revenue for transmission to the Treasury?
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER (Mr. GOSCHEN, St. George's, Hanover Square)The Treasury in 1890 improved the Excise service at a large cost to the public. They did not, however, think it right to grant the request of the Excise officers that classification should be abolished, not so much on financial grounds, as because they are convinced of the great importance of classification for the proper discipline and regulation of this and other great branches of the Service, and for the due carrying out of the system of promotion by merit—which has always been pursued by the Board of Inland Revenue. The Memo- 1240 rial to which the hon. Member refers, repeats this request for the abolition of classification, and, after considering the matter further with the Board of Inland Revenue, the Treasury is unable to modify the previous decision.