§ MR. MEEHAN (Queen's County, Leix)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury in reference to the recent promotion of a supervisor of Inland Revenue over more than a hundred of his seniors, whether he is aware that when this officer was promoted a few years ago, from a second to a first-class station, a special inquiry was ordered into the unsatisfactory manner in which he had performed his duties in connection with licensing matters; whether this was considered when promoting him over the heads of those who had never been the subject of complaint; and whether, when this officer was stated to have been assigned to Stratford, as being a more advantageous appointment than that to Salisbury, the Board of Inland Revenue had in view the fact that the total duty from all sources in the Salisbury district is fully three times that in Stratford, and that Stratford is one of the least important districts in England.
§ THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Mr. MCKENNA,) Monmouthshire, N.No such inquiry was ordered nor was there any complaint of the kind suggested. With regard to the last part of the question I would observe that the amount of revenue collected is by no means the only criterion of the importance of an appointment. In this 377 particular instance the officer was appointed to Stratford at his own request. As none of his seniors desired the post the Board, following their usual practice, complied with his wishes.