§ 14. Mr. LUNNasked the Secretary for Mines whether he is aware that the post of mining engineer to the Safety in Mines Research Board is now vacant; and whether steps are being taken to fill it to the best advantage?
§ Captain CROOKSHANKThis important post is vacant, but the duties are being carried on temporarily by its former holder until his successor is appointed. There is some difficulty in finding a successor with the necessary high technical and personal qualifications and the board attribute this difficulty in part to an impression prevailing in certain quarters that the duties of the post may be merely temporary. The board wish, therefore, to make it known that they regard the whole-time services of a highly qualified mining engineer as an indispensable part of the organisation for carrying out safety research, and that their policy will be to maintain such a post for the whole period during which a substantial income is assured them by statute and endowment. I am in full agreement with that policy, and take this opportunity to make it generally known.