§ MR. SLOAN (Belfast, S.)To ask the Postmaster-General, whether his attention has been called to the fact that a telegraphist at Belfast has been stopped 1005 at the efficiency bar, because of his ignorance of counter duties; and whether, in view of the fact that the assurance given at the time of the Norfolk-Hanbury Conference, that nothing should be required for passage over the efficiency bar beyond what had been previously required of a telegraphist proceeding from the second class to the first class, has by insisting upon a knowledge of counter duties from telegraphists at Belfast been departed from, he can state why this telegraphist has been expected to become more highly qualified than other telegraphists in large officers in the United Kingdom.
§ (Answered by MR. Sydney Buxton.) The officer to whom the hon. Member appears to refer was not stopped at the efficiency bar solely because he had been unsuccessful in performing counter duties. He proved to be incompetent also on some of the highest duties in the instrument room; and this failure of itself made it necessary to withhold the certificate of ability to perform the highest duties of his class without which no officer can proceed beyond the efficiency bar. Nothing in the treatment of the case is inconsistent with the principles laid down by the Norfolk-Hanbury Conference.