§ DR. J. E. KENNY (Dublin, College Green)I beg to ask the Postmaster General if it is his intention, when making promotions (some of which are 90 six months in abeyance)necessary to fill the seven vacancies existing in the Telegraph Department, Dublin, he will make the salaries of the newly appointed officers retrospective, and promote to the assistant superintendent's class the officer who stands first on the list of the next lower class; also if it is his intention to select the most senior men in the class of first class telegraphists for the vacancies in the clerks' class, if they possess the requisite qualifications as to character and ability; whether, having regard to the fact that many of those now standing at the head of the lists of first and second class telegraphists, who have been lately passed over for promotion owing to their lack of technical knowledge and operating skill respectively, have had no opportunity of acquiring this knowledge, he will take into account their long service; and whether, if he finds himself unable to promote them to a higher class, he will consider their case with a view to giving them some equivalent for promotion?
§ THE POSTMASTER GENERAL (Mr. ARNOLD MORLEY, Nottingham, E.)The promotions to which the hon. Member refers were made a few days ago, and will be announced immediately. They will take effect from the date of my decision, and not retrospectively. It was a matter of great regret to me not to be able to promote the officers who stood at the head of their respective classes, and I am sure the hon. Member will understand it is out of my power to compensate those who have been passed over.