§ Mr. GOLDSTONEasked the Secretary to the Treasury whether his attention has been drawn to the extension of the lists of successful candidates at the last examination for assistants of Customs and Excise and for clerks of the second division; 819W whether, in view of the fact that several hundreds of assistant clerks have at previous examinations taken far higher positions than these candidates now declared successful, he is taking any steps to prevent the appointment of the latter as assistants of Customs and Excise and to the second division of the Civil Service, with maximum salaries of £300 per annum; and whether he will consider the advisability of taking the present opportunity to promote some of the 1,800 assistant clerks who are eligible by length of service, and hundreds of whom have at previous examinations proved themselves academically superior to the present candidates, and who are in a state of discontent at their lack of prospects and their present rate of salary?
§ Mr. MASTERMANI am aware of the extension of the lists of successful candidates referred to by the hon. Member. No candidate has been appointed who was not in the opinion of the Civil Service Commissioners duly qualified for the appointment for which he had offered himself in open competition. With regard to the latter part of the question, while the Treasury are always willing to consider such recommendations for the promotion of assistant clerks as heads of Departments feel justified in making, I would remind the hon. Member that such promotions require, under paragraph 45 of the Order in Council of 10th January, 1910, to be made on grounds of special merit in each particular case.