§ Mr. ROBERT YOUNGasked the Postmaster-General if his attention has been called to the fact that the filling of higher 1151W posts in the mechanical engineering drawing office of his engineering department by recruitment from the clerical classes is causing much dissatisfaction and resentment and thereby impairing efficiency amongst the mechanical engineering draughtsmen; whether he is aware that such a method of posting is not to be found in the commercial engineering world or in any other Government Department; and whether he proposes to take any action in the matter?
§ Mr. PEASEThe higher posts referred to are posts which have hitherto been held by officers who, although graded as clerks, have been trained as draughtsmen and are fully possessed of all the necessary technical qualifications for the work. They have filled these posts for many years, and there is no occasion or justification for a change of personnel. For future vacancies on the supervising classes, the claims of the draughtsmen will receive full consideration.