Sir J. BET HELL (Essex, Romford)To ask the Postmaster-General whether, in view of the fact that it has been officially stated that the class of senior telegraphists and overseers at the Central Telegraph Office is a supervising class, he will say if it was recently decided that only those seniors who had passed the 1569 technical examination necessary for promotion to the rank of assistant superintendent were to perform supervising duties; whether the men involved supervise others of the same rank who are older in the service; and whether he will state the reasons that have caused this change to be made pending the issue of the Report on Post Office wages.
(Answered by Mr. Sydney Buxton.) Supervising duties are proper to the class of overseers and senior telegraphists in the Central Telegraph Office, and therefore no decision to the effect suggested in the first sentence of the Question has been or could be given. In regard to the second part of the Question, the object of the arrangements in question is to ascertain which are the officers best qualified for promotion, and no more interference takes place with the order of seniority than is necessary to determine this question. I see nothing in this matter that makes it necessary to await the Report of the Select Committee.