§ MR. JAMES O'CONNOR (Wicklow, W.)To ask the Postmaster-General whether it is the rule that all vacancies 339 for postmasterships should be advertised in the Post Office Circular, to give every officer an equal chance of making application; and, if so, whether he can state why the recent vacancy at Dungannon was not advertised; and whether he can state the date of Civil Service certificate of officer selected, and the reason for his selection.
(Answered by Mr. Sydney Buxton.) It is the general rule to advertise vacancies for postmasterships in the Post Office Circular, but it is necessary on certain rare occasions to depart from the ordinary rule for special departmental reasons, and this happened in the case of the vacancy at Dungannon. The Civil Service certificate of the officer transferred to Dungannon is dated 27th August, 1887.