§ MR. GODDARD (Ipswich)To ask the Postmaster-General whether the rule providing that relatives of supervising officers should not be appointed at the same offices applies to all postal and telegraph offices; whether he will state the reasons for the exemption of any towns from the enforcement of the rule; and whether he will state what steps are taken to prevent nepotism at these places.
(Answered by Lord Stanley.) At smaller post offices the rule generally is that male relatives of supervising officers are to be admitted only on condition of transfer to other offices at the age of nineteen, and female relatives on condition only of transfer if the relationship should at any time be considered detrimental to the efficiency of the service. At larger offices at which open competition is in force the condition on appointment for males and females alike is liability to transfer if the relationship should at any time be considered detrimental. I do not consider that there is any reason for modifying these rules.