§ MR. CHARLES M'ARTHURTo ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that the Board of Customs have recently selected four Customs boatmen of from eight to nine years' service for promotion, on examination, to the rank of preventive officer, thus passing over some 300 men of longer service; and whether, seeing that such promotions have previously been made with reference to seniority, he will explain upon what principle the present selection has been made.
(Answered by Mr. Hayes Fisher.) The Board of Customs are calling up sixty boatmen for qualifying examination for the grade of preventive officer. Of this number fifty-five have been selected with reference to seniority and character as in previous years, and the remaining five by selection from the whole class of boatmen on the ground of special merit.