§ 69. Mr. SNOWDENasked if an examination for assistants of Customs and Excise will be held this year, as was expected; and, if not, will the precedent of a former occasion be followed when the next examination is held, and some allowance of age be made so as to lessen the hardship upon students who have been preparing in the expectation that the usual examination would be held, but who will be above the ordinary age limit next year?
§ Mr. MASTERMANAn examination for assistants of Customs and Excise has already been held this year, as the result of which the unusually large number of 500 candidates was admitted to the Service. Only once during the last four years has it been found necessary for the needs of the public service to hold two examinations in one year, and there is no probability of a second examination being held this year. The age limits have only been relaxed in very special circumstances, which do not exist at the present time, and the Civil Service Commissioners are not prepared to relax them for the next competition.
§ Mr. SNOWDENWere not some 400 more candidates taken at the last examination than the number of vacancies advertised at the time, and is not this unfair as depriving candidates who did not then sit of their expectation of another examination?
§ Mr. MASTERMANIf 500 candidates have been appointed, I should think that lessens the need for any relaxation of the age limit.