§ Mr. MIDDLETONasked the Postmaster-General the number of surveyors and head postmasters who have been permitted to remain on duty after the age of 60 years; whether, in view of the increasing number of the officers of these grades who make application to remain after this age, he will re-issue the circular of the Postmaster-General of 20th November, 1926, in order, as was then stated, to secure retirement at the age of 60 years, with advantage to the service?
§ Mr. LEES-SMITHThe number of such officers is 50. I assume that the hon. Member refers to a circular dated 20th November, 1896. This circular provided that established officers whose conduct, capacity or efficiency fell below a fair standard should be called upon to retire at 60 years of age; but it permitted retention beyond that age in the case of officers whose conduct was good, and who were certified by their superior officers to be thoroughly efficient. It is not necessary to re-issue the circular, as it is still the practice to decline to extend beyond the age of 60 the service of established officers who are not thoroughly satisfactory as regards conduct, capacity and efficiency.
(i) VALUE of the EXPORTS of WOOLLEN and WORSTED YARNS and manufactures from the United Kingdom to the undermentioned countries. — 1909. 1910. 1911. 1912. 1913. 1926. 1927. 1928. 1929. £'000 United States of America … 1,592 1,746 1,260 1,165 1,232 4,077 4,098 3,410 3,923 South America … … … 2,494 3,224 3,142 3,185 3,465 5,126 5,400 5,773 5,592 Japan (including Formosa and Japanese leased territories in China). 1,151 1,742 1,594 1,650 1,807 3,787 4,462 2,977 1,786 China: China (exclusive of Hong Kong and leased territories). 303 349 420 688 624 3,660 1,797 3,270 2,499 Hong Kong … … … 337 391 268 497 391 459 1,043 942 802 Australia … … … … 1,861 2,102 2,404 2,405 2,398 4,059 4,160 3,278 3,055 New Zealand … … … 427 506 587 527 546 1,198 1,121 1,043 1,079 Canada … … … … 3,110 3,620 3,444 4,424 4,198 6,586 6,253 6,756 6,262 Union of South Africa (exclusive of South West Africa territory). 653 847 909 798 750 1,718 1,744 1,987 1,727 NOTE.—For 1926 and subsequent years the above particulars relate to the exports from Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and for earlier years to the exports from the British Isles as a whole. The particulars for 1929 are provisional.