§ MR. FIELD (Dublin, St. Patrick's)I beg to ask the Postmaster General if he will explain why, in the Telegraph Department of the General Post Office, Dublin, in filling two vacancies in the Assistant Superintendentships of the second class from the class of clerks, two juniors were promoted over four seniors of the same class, one of the latter at the time of appointment having for years performed in turn the duties of Assistant Superintendent with satisfaction to his superior officer; whether lie now becomes disqualified for the position of Assistant Second Class Superintendent, after performing its duties for years without remuneration; why, in filling up a vacancy for a first class clerkship, three qualified men were passed over; why, in filling up four vacancies in the first class telegraphists from the second class, men, with service from 20 to 30 years, were passed with only eight years' service; whether he is aware that some of the men thus passed over are performing duties identical with those of first class telegraphists, and that one of them has distinguished himself in technical telegraphy; and why, as the Department allows a certain number of non-instrumental first class appointments, and two of these having become vacant, were the men who were awaiting these appointments passed over?
§ *MR. A. MORLEYIn reply to the first, third, and fourth paragraphs of the 166 hon. Member's question—all of which are to the same effect, the answer is the same: the officers referred to were passed over because they were not qualified for the duties of the classes to which promotion had to be made. As regards the officer particularly referred to in the second paragraph, I regret to state that he suffers from an unfortunate physical disability—namely, the loss of his right arm, which seriously interferes with the performance of the duties proper to his own class, and on this ground he has, somewhat out of the usual course, been selected from time to time for duties which do not come under any particular category; but he is not fitted for the permanent post of Assistant Superintendent. In reply to the fifth paragraph, it is the case that, during the absence of first class telegraphists, either on leave or from sickness, second class telegraphists are temporarily employed on the duties of the absentees; but if such has been the case with any of those who were passed over on the occasion of the recent promotions, they were so passed over because they did not possess the necessary qualifications. As regards the sixth paragraph, I can only state that no pains were spared to select those who were the best fitted to discharge the duties which would be required of them in the higher class.