§ CAPTAIN NORTON (Newington, W.)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, if it is intended to pass over the senior sorters, Messrs. R. H. Burn and H. Johnson, in making promotions to the overseers class at the South-Eastern District Office; if so, will he state the reasons for passing over these officers, and will they be given an opportunity of stating why they should not be passed over before the appointments are made, seeing that they have been performing overseers' duties for about eight years and three years respectively, and been certified annually for many years past as competent to perform the highest duties of their class.
§ MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINThe claims and qualifications of the two sorters referred to will be considered with those of others before any promotions are made, but the Postmaster General cannot undertake that the confidential reports 1190 which will in due course be made to him respecting these sorters shall be communicated to them in order that they may discuss the question of their fitness for promotion. Such a course would be contrary to the practice of the Department and to the recommendations of the Tweedmouth Committee.
§ MR. NANNETTI (Dublin, College Green)Will the same procedure be adopted in the Irish offices?
§ MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINThe procedure I have described is the usual one.