§ MR. MEEHANI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, in reference to the appointment of Mr. Wilkinson to an office in the Irish Land Commission at a salary of £300 per annum, if he will explain why, if there arose a necessity for such an office, the position was not given to one of the staff, seeing that the bringing in of strangers and placing them in high positions over the heads of officers with long service retards promotion; was not one of the staff qualified to fill this post; is there a rule that each clerk employed must pass the Civil Service examination; if so, will he say if Mr. Wilkinson passed or gave any proof of qualification except a recommendation from a land agent's office; and will he say what was the date of the appointment, and the name of the land agent's or other office where he was formerly employed.
MR. BRYCEI am informed by the Land Commission that before this appointment was made the qualifications and merits of the existing staff were fully considered, and that in selecting Mr. Wilkinson to fill the post regard was had to the work to be performed and the efficiency of the public service. Mr. Wilkinson is not a permanent civil servant, and consequently he was not required to obtain a civil service certificate. He was appointed on December 15th, 1905, and prior to his appointment was employed in the office of Messrs. J. R. Stewart & Sons, Land Agents, Dublin.
MR, FLYNN (Cork, N.)Does the right hon. Gentleman officially sanction this flagrant job?
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILL (Donegal, S.)Of whom in this office is Mr. Wilkinson a poor relation?
§ [No Answer was returned.]