§ Mr. SNOWDENasked the President of the Board of Trade if, in view of the limited number of first and second class surveyorships allocated to the shipwright surveyors in the marine department of the Board of Trade, he will increase the number of first and second class shipwright surveyors; and will he guarantee that the shipwright surveyors shall have equal chances of promotion with the engineer and nautical surveyors to the appointment of principal district officer?
Mr. BUXTONI may refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to his question with regard to the position of the ship surveyors on the 3rd April. The classification of these officers is one of the matters under consideration in connection with their petition to which I hope shortly to reply. In making appointments to the position of principal district officer fitness for the post is regarded as the primary consideration, and in the event of the post being filled by promotion, equally suitable officers in any of the three classes of surveyors would receive equal consideration.