§ MR. T. F. RICHARDS (Wolverhampton, W.)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether in the Naval Store Department promotion to the position of foreman of store-houses is no longer to be by the hitherto recognised method of examination; and if so, what is the reason for the change, and the method of promotion it is proposed to adopt in the future.
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY (Mr. MCKENNA,) Monmouthshire, N.The Answer to the first part of the Question is in the affirmative. As regards the second part of the Question, promotion to the grade of foreman of storehouses will in future be by selection. All candidates for entry as storehouse-men will be required to pass an examination which will prove their fitness, as regards educational and technical subjects, for advancement to higher posts in the store-house staff. An inspector of store-houses on advancement to the higher rank of foreman is expected to have, not so much higher literary or technical attainments, as proved capacity for handling men. The examination system has not been invariably successful 1238 in bringing out the men best qualified for promotion.