§ MR. P. O'BRIEN (Monaghan, N.)I beg to ask the Postmaster General if he will cause inquiry to be made into the way the recently appointed "charge taker," Mr. A. Taplin, in the General Post Office, Dublin, was selected for the position, and whether due regard was had to the claims, on the grounds of service and fitness for the position, of other employés; whether this officer has charge of the male and female domestic servants of the department; and whether he can state the grounds for the dismissal of six of the female servants since Taplin took charge, the religion of the servants dismissed, and of those who were appointed to their places?
§ THE POSTMASTER GENERAL (Sir J. FERGUSSON,) Manchester, N.E.Altogether four candidates applied for the situation, and Mr. Taplin was selected by the Postmaster General as being by far the best qualified for the duties to be performed. The charwomen of the department are under his control. There are no male domestic servants. The charwomen are not established servants, nor are all of them regularly employed, some of them being paid by the job. Eight (not six) of these persons have left since Mr. Taplin became charge taker. Of these eight, two left in consequence of age; one left in consequence of illness; one resigned; and four were dismissed for drunkenness and general misconduct. Neither of those who have left nor of those who have succeeded them is the religion known; nor is it the practice of the department to inquire.