§ MR GODDARD (Ipswich)To ask the Postmaster-General whether the regulation is still in force restricting the appointment of the relatives of superior officials in the same office; and whether he will make inquiries at the Middlesbrough Post Office with a view to making the necessary alterations in conformity with the rules of the service.
752 (Answered by Lord Stanley). There has been no alteration in the practice of the Department in this respect, which, at offices like Middlesbrough, is that a "near male relative of a postmaster, chief clerk, or other supervising officer is admitted to appointment only on condition that he agrees to seek transfer to some other office on attaining the age of nineteen if the circumstances remain unchanged; and a female relative of a supervising officer (unless more than one is employed) or a more distant male relative is appointed only on condition that if at any time the relationship is considered to be detrimental to the efficiency of the service the candidate will be transferred to some other office." As regards Middlesbrough, I presume that the hon. Member refers to the appointment of Mr. Balcombe, son of an assistant superintendent, in August, 1902, and of Miss James, daughter of the postmaster, in June, 1903; but both of these appointments were made on the conditions which I have specified. Mr. Balcombe is not yet nineteen years of age.