§ MR. M. AUSTIN (Limerick, W.)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury if he is aware that the new Regulations which came into force at the commencement of the present year in the Customs Service has militated seriously against the promotion of many servants in the Service, and that under this new Regulation the position of examining officers has been changed to their disadvantage; and whether such Regulation is in accordance with the Minute of 24th March, 1891?
§ SIR J. T. HIBBERTIt is surmised that the question refers to the modification of the system of keeping the warehousing accounts introduced in the Department on 1st January last. I am informed that this modification has had no serious effect as yet, but may probably lead ultimately to some reduction in the number of examining officers of the First and Second Classes. Such a possibility is, however, expressly contemplated by the Treasury Minute referred to, which states that the augmentation or the decrease of numbers in any class must depend on the requirements of the Public Service as estimated by the Board.