§ Mr. JOHN ROBERTSONasked the Secretary to the Treasury if he will state in what mannar it is possible for the heads of Departments, in accordance with Treasury Circular of 22nd December last, to recommend assistant clerks who have officially exhibited efficiency and good conduct in a special degree, and who have completed five years on the maximum salary of £150, for an increase of £10, in view of the fact that all assistant clerks of special merit would naturally, under clause 15 of the Order in Council of November, 1898, have been removed from that class by promotion to a higher grade long before reaching the maximum of the assistant clerks class, which is the lowest class of clerical labour employed in the Civil Service?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEIt is impossible to define precisely the degree of merit which a head of a Department will require from an assistant clerk before he recommends him for a special increase of salary beyond £150 per annum.