§ MR. STEADMAN (Tower Hamlets, Stepney)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether telegraph clerks are awarded a double increment upon passing the examinations for technical telegraphy (ordinary grade), City Guilds, and the elementary stage of electricity and magnetism (elementary stage), Science and Art; will he explain why clerks passing second class in technical telegraphy, and likewise holding the first class certificate for electricity and magnetism, are eligible for the increment, while clerks passing second class in electricity and magnetism and first class in technical telegraphy are disqualified; and whether the Postmaster General will consider the advisability of removing this restriction?
§ MR. HANBURYIt is the fact that telegraph clerks are awarded a double increment upon obtaining a certificate that they have passed the examination for technical telegraphy, City Guilds, and the elementary stage of electricity and magnetism, Science and Art. The examinations in technical telegraphy are held by the City Guilds, the examination in electricity and magnetism by the Science and Art Department. The former of those bodies award a certificate to the candidate who obtains either a first or second class in the examination. The latter of them only award certificates to the candidate who obtains a first 435 class in the examination. It follows, therefore, that candidates in the Science and Art examination who fail to obtain a first class do not obtain a certificate, and are not consequently eligible for the double increment. I need hardly add that the Postmaster General has no control over either of the Departments.