§ Mr. DENMANasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that it is the practice of his Department to invite applications from members of the Metropolitan Police Force to fill vacancies in the Colonial police ser-vice; whether such invitations are con- fined to the Metropolitan Police; and, if so, will he for the future give the members of provincial police forces an opportunity of applying for these positions?
§ Mr. LONGThe procedure adopted for filling vacancies in Colonial police forces has varied according to circumstances. At times such vacancies have been advertised in the Press; at others applications have been invited from one or more police forces. Occasionally, for special reasons, the Metropolitan Police Force or the Royal Irish Constabulary alone have been approached, but I shall be glad, whenever possible, to consider applications from suitable candidates belonging to other forces.