§ SIR J. STIRLING-MAXWELL (Glasgow, College)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether he is aware that the late postmaster of Glasgow, a few days prior to his retirement, secured the promotion of his private clerk from the second to the first class of assistant superintendents, thereby passing over the only officer senior to him, who possessed the necessary technical certificate; whether in making that promotion the usual method of local procedure was departed from; whether the officer so passed over was refused information when he asked the postmaster whether a superior appointment was under considertion, being thereby prevented from laying before the Secretary his claims to the appointment; and whether, in view of the fact that the officer in question has placed his present appointment in the hands of the Postmaster General, with the request that an inquiry may be granted him, and that the officers of the local branch of the Postal Telegraph Clerks' Association have intimated to the chief superintendent that the general body of the staff resent the indignity placed on the assistant superintendent so passed over, the Postmaster General will grant the inquiry demanded.
§ MR. HANBURYShortly before the retirement of the late postmaster of Glasgow a promotion was made to fill a vacancy on the first class of assistant superintendents, but the officer promoted was not the postmaster's private clerk. An assistant superintendent of the second class was certified to be the best qualified for the vacant post, and he accordingly passed over the heads of four of his seniors. The proper course was taken by the postmaster in making the recommendation. It is not the practice to communicate to the staff the fact that the question of filling a superior appointment 1320 has arisen, nor is such a course necessary in order to ensure the proper weight being given to the claims of any officer. One officer only has appealed to the Postmaster General respecting the promotion, namely, the officer third on the list of second-class assistant superintendents. He was reported to be not capable of performing the duties of the higher post; and as his record is in many respects unsatisfactory, there does not appear to be any reason for making further inquiry.