§ MR. FIELD (Dublin, St. Patrick)To ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether he can state how many new class assistant clerks are employed in the Savings Bank Department, General Post Office; Estate Duty Office, Somerset House; and Statistical Office, His Majesty's Customs, respectively, and how many have been promoted to a superior grade in each Department; and whether he can state the principle of selection adopted with regard to the promotion of new class assistant clerks in the Statistical Office.
§ (Answered by Mr. Hobhouse.)—
§ to the responsibility of parents in the matter.
§
(Answered by Mr. John Burns.) My attention has not been drawn to the particular case mentioned in the Question. The Act, however, imposes the duty of notifying a birth alike on the father, if he is actually residing in the house when the child is born, and on any person in attendance on the mother at the time of the birth or within six hours after it. It will be seen, therefore, that it is always the duty of the person in attendance to notify the birth, although it is provided that a person shall not be liable to a penalty for failing to do so if he had reasonable grounds to believe that notice had been duly given by some other person. I issued a Circular to the local authorities shortly after the passing of the Act in which I drew attention
* In addition twenty-three have been appointed to other situations in the Post Office as a result of limited competitions.
†Two more have been nominated for promotion, but have not yet passed the necessary qualifying examination held by the Civil Service Commissioners.
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to the duties in this matter of the father and of the persons in attendance on the mother.