§ Mr. CLAUDE HAYasked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that the standard which must be attained by a candidate in each obligatory subject in order to qualify at a Civil Service examination is usually only 33 1–3 per cent, of the maximum number of marks obtainable in such subject; will he state what was the passing standard required in each subject at the examination recently set to sub-engineers; whether this standard was determined, not by the Civil Service Commissioners, but by the Post Office authorities, with regard to a definite number of additional appointments for which authority had already been applied; and whether the nature of the test was thus changed, in effect, from a qualifying to a competitive examination?
§ Mr. SYDNEY BUXTONI am not aware what is the usual standard of qualification in each obligatory subject required of candidates in examinations held by the Civil Service Commissioners; the standards in the recent examination for sub-engineers were fixed by the Civil Service Commissioners without regard to the number of appointments vacant, of which the Commissioners had no knowledge.