§ Lieut.-Colonel JAMESasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether the Admiralty contemplate filling, in whole or in part, by open competitive examination the five vacancies existing for second-class draughtsmen in the hydrographic department of the Admiralty; and, in view of the definite policy of His Majesty's Government, as expressed in paragraph 45 of the Third Interim Lytton Report, which provides that all technical vacancies shall be filled from among existing competent temporary ex-service technical personnel, and that five temporary ex-service draughtsmen who have rendered from four to 12 years satisfactory temporary service in Government Departments, chiefly in the Admiralty, at present serving in the hydrographic department, have repeatedly been informed that when the complement of cartographers in the hydrographic department is filled they will be discharged, will he say why establishment cannot be extended to these men?
§ Lieut.-Colonel HEADLAMThe manner in which these vacancies should be filled has not yet been decided, but the case of these temporary draughtsmen is receiving every possible consideration.