§ Mr. CLYNESasked the Postmaster-General what methods were adopted in selecting the sorting clerks and telegraphists nominated by the postmaster at Manchester for service on the secretary's special event staff for the current year; whether the fact that the junior candidate selected was known to be a non-unionist was taken into favourable consideration when the selection was made; and whether, the man thus retained will be required to retire, in accordance with the agreement subsisting between the department and the staff, at the end of the current year?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELThe normal period of service on the special staff is five years, and six of the Manchester officers completed that period in December last; but as only two will complete their five years next December, it was deemed advisable, in order to equalise the retirements, to retain two of the six another year. The selections for retention were made solely on the ground of suitability for the work. It appears that one of the two was a member of the Telegraph Clerks' Association and the other not; but the selections were authorised without knowledge of this. Both officers will retire from the special staff at the end of the year.