§ 56. Mr. Viantasked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that the large number of vacancies for the position of inspectors in the engineering department is due to the fact that it pays the skilled man to remain in his present grade and work overtime rather than accept promotion on the present scale paid to inspectors; and what steps he proposes to take to remedy this state of affairs?
§ Major TryonI am not aware that skilled workmen decline promotion to inspectorships for the reason suggested by 1691 the hon. Member. The large number of vacancies for inspectors is due to the continued expansion of the work, but there is no difficulty in finding candidates to fill the vacancies as they occur.
§ 57. Mr. Viantasked the Postmaster-General the number of skilled men in the engineering department who have been promoted during the past 12 months, and the number promoted who did not possess the prescribed certificates?
§ Major TryonFigures are not readily available for the past 12 months, but since 1st January last, 576 skilled workmen have been promoted to inspector-ships. Of this number 189 were not in possession of the prescribed technical certificates. I should state, however, that 102 of the 189 were born before 1st January, 1894, and the possession of certificates is not in that case a condition of promotion. The remaining 87 possess countervailing qualifications of a special order.