§ Mr. FALLEasked the Secretary to the Admiralty if the Naval Estimates allow for twenty-four assistant clerks, Royal Navy, for the year 1913–14; it thirty-seven assistant clerks, Royal Navy, have been entered as from last month; what, if any, steps are proposed by the Admiralty to ensure that such of these officers who may survive will ever reach the rank of paymaster, or be compulsorily retired at forty years of age with a pension of £109 per annum; and whether such an entry (thirty-seven), to be followed by another entry in December, is consistent with the prospectus sent to parents and guardians and dated April, 1912.
§ Dr. MACNAMARAThe Navy Estimates allow for thirty assistant clerks during 1913–14. The entry last month numbered thirty-eight. As regards the third part of the question, the future state of the lists is now engaging the attention of the Board of Admiralty, but it would be premature to indicate what steps must be taken to meet a situation which will not arise for many years. The answer to the last part of the question is in the affirmative.