§ 41. Mr. FALLEasked the Secretary to the Admiralty if he is aware that since August last some 400 persons have been entered as assistant paymasters in the Naval Reserve, gentlemen without any previous service in the Navy, without knowledge of naval accounts or official duties, and who have to be instructed in their duties by the chief writers, who have their own responsible duties to perform, and that these gentlemen are receiving rewards and the best positions and passing over the heads of the chief writers; also that some of these latter have recently been officially recommended to the Admiralty for promotion to assistant paymaster 827 Royal Naval Reserve, but have not been so promoted; and if he will look into the matter and remedy this state of affairs?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAI do not think that I can usefully add anything to the replies which I gave yesterday to the Noble Lord the Member for Portsmouth on this subject. I may observe that Chief Writers of the Royal Navy are not eligible for appointment as Assistant Paymasters in the Royal Naval Reserve.