asked the Minister for Finance if he will state the number of non-permanent Government clerks, male and female, serving in the various Government Departments on the 16th January, 1928, in the following categories: (1) (a) non (Military) Service clerks who were eligible but failed to enter for the special examination held in June-July, 1925; (b) clerks (whether ex-Service or not) who were eligible but failed to enter for the special examination held in May, 1927; (c) clerks who were under age for the examination or had not the requisite period of clerical or military service, or who were otherwise ineligible to enter for the examinations; (2) non (Military) Service clerks (not over 40 years of age on the 1st December, 1927) who failed at the June-July, 1925, examination or both examinations; (3) ex-military Service clerks (not over 40 years of age on the 1st December, 1927) who failed at the May, 1927, examination; (4) (a) non-Service clerks (over 40 years of age on 1st December, 1927) who failed at the 1925 examination or both examinations; (b) ex-Service clerks (over 40 years of age on 1st December, 1927) who failed at the May, 1927, examination; (c) non-Service clerks over age for the June-July, 1925, examination, and ex-Service clerks over age for the May, 1927, examination.

The reply is in the form of a tabular statement, and it will appear in the Official Report.

Following is the reply:—

The information required by the Deputy is as follows:—