§ Mr. SNELLasked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that, in the discharges of inspectors of naval ordnance that are taking place in the Royal Arsenal at Woolwich, the recognised principle of retaining men with the longest service is not being adhered to; that ex-service men with six years' service and a 20 per cent. disability pension are being discharged, while men with less than 12 months' service are being retained; and whether, other things being equal, he will adhere to the principle that the men with the longest service shall be retained.?
2477W
§ Mr. HODGESThe recognised rule is not that retention is invariably to be determined by length of service, but that service is to be taken into account. That the rule has been observed is shown by the following figures giving the length of service of the men who have been, or are being, discharged from the Naval Ordnance Inspection Department:
- Length of Service.
- 100 under six months' service.
- 47 six months to one year.
- 6 one year to two years.
- 1 two years to three years.
- 1 three years to four years.
- 4 four years to five years.
- 1 five years to six years.
- 2 over six years.