MR. GIBSON BOWLESI beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury is he aware that the post of third or reading clerk at the Table of the House of Lords has been vacant for nearly one year; has he any reason to believe that the two clerks now at the Table find a difficulty in doing the work hitherto done by three; if there be no such difficulty, will Her Majesty's Government consider the propriety of abolishing the post of reading clerk; if, on the other hand, there be such a difficulty, will he explain why there has been so long a delay in filling up the post; and will the Vote for the House of Lords Offices be put down for a day when it can be discussed; if so, on what day.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI have no reason to believe that there is any great inconvenience caused by the delay in filling this post.