§ Mr. SLOANasked the Postmaster-General whether he has recently decided that technical certificates were not an essential element for employment on substitution duties; whether the substitution duty in the telegraph department at Belfast is now exclusively performed by three junior overseers; and whether, in view of his decision, he will state why senior officers have their claim to perform these duties set on one side and their chances of promotion to future vacancies prejudged?
§ Mr. SYDNEY BUXTONThe possession of a Departmental technical certificate is not an essential element of employment on substitution duties. I will make inquiry as to the performance of substitution duties by the telegraph overseers at Belfast. I may say, however, that the performance of such duties is not necessarily restricted to the senior officers of a class, but that junior officers also are properly given from time to time an opportunity of trial upon higher duties, in order that when a vacancy occurs the best qualified of the officers eligible for promotion may be readily selected.