§ *MR. W. FIELD (Dublin, St. Patrick)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether, in the Customs Outdoor Department, in the classes of examining officer and higher grades, vacancies remain unfilled for a considerable period; how many such vacancies exist at the present time, and how long has each of these vacancies existed; and, whether the appointment of an officer to fill any of such vacancies is dated from the time such vacancy occurred.
§ *THE SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Sir J. T. HIBBERT,) Oldham844 Any delay that may occur is due to the necessity of deciding whether the post vacated is to be retained or not; and if it is decided to retain it, it is filled up without further loss of time. The appointment dates from the day when it was made, not from the time when the vacancy occurred. The vacancies at present existing are those of seven Examining Officers of the second class in London. They occurred at various periods between the 27th October and 15th December last, and the appointments are being kept open until experience of the revised system of Warehousing Accounts has shown whether they need be retained.