§ Mr. HUDSONasked the Postmaster-General if he is aware that several temporary draughtsmen employed in the Engineering Department of the Post Office were established in 1909 as Civil Service assistant clerks; and, if so, will he state whether, in view of the fact that certain of these officers are still engaged upon draughtsmen's duties, those duties are proper to the class of Civil Service assistant clerks?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELI am fully aware of the arrangement referred to. The classification of these officers was decided in 1908 after inquiry into their duties by a special Committee, who were of opinion that the simple work required of them was not such as to warrant there being ranked as draughtsmen. I do not propose to disturb the arrangement.
§ Mr. HUDSONasked the Postmaster-General whether, in view of the fact that as a general rule an officer of the Engineering Department of the Post Office usually profits on promotion, he will state the necessity for offering two officers on the class of Civil Service assistant clerks in that department appointments to the grade of third-class clerks, Superintending Engineers' Offices, provinces, at a comparative loss, notwithstanding the fact that they had actually been certified as having fulfilled the requirements of Clause 45 of the Order in Council, dated 415W 4th January, 1910, for advancement to clerkships of the second division of the Civil Service; and will he state the reason of his decision to withhold further prospect of advancement from the officers concerned because they were unable to accept the appointments referred to?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELAs stated in my reply to the hon. Member for Blackburn on the 24th ultimo, the promotion of those exceptionally qualified assistant clerks who earn promotion in the Post Office is effected, in the ordinary course, within the department in which they are serving, and in which their experience is of use As second division clerks are not normally employed in the Engineering Department of the Post Office, the officers in question could not be promoted to that rank. The hon. Member will doubtless understand that no assistant clerk can claim promotion as a right.
§ Mr. HUDSONasked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that immediately prior to and apparently because of the investigations of the Departmental Committee appointed to inquire into the clerical establishment of Superintending Engineers' Offices, certain Civil Service assistant clerks serving in sectional engineers' offices of the Metropolitan south district who had the custody of official cash in those offices with the responsibility of paying the wages and salaries of all the workmen and engineering officers attached to the sections concerned, respectively, and of all work incidental thereto, were suddenly removed from such duty, notwithstanding that it had been carried out by them without complaint for several years; that these assistant clerks were aggrieved in consequence of such removal; if so, will he state the cause or combination of causes leading to the withdrawal; and whether he will remunerate the officers in question at substitution rates in accordance with paragraphs 98 and 99 of the Hobhouse Committee's Report?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELThe Committee on superintending engineers clerical establishments, to which the hon. Member refers, made no recommendations regarding the custody of official cash. As a result of that Committee various duties were rearranged; but such rearrangements, which are by no means uncommon, do not involve any question of substitution pay.
§ Mr. SNOWDENasked the Postmaster-General whether he expects soon to be 416W able to reply definitely to the communication addressed to him on 24th May, 1911, by the Society of Post Office Engineers on the questions of the line of promotion beyond the class of executive engineers and the age limit for staff engineership?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELI am in communication with the Civil Service Commissioners on certain questions which relate to this matter, and regret that I cannot yet give a definite reply to the memorial in question. I hope, however, to be in a position to do so shortly.