§ MR. H. NORTHCOTEasked the Postmaster General, If his attention has been called to the great increase of work which has been imposed during the past nine years upon the telegraphic staff of the Exeter Post Office; if he is aware that, notwithstanding this great increase in their duties, many of the senior officers in this office have received no increase of salary since 1871; and if, under these circumstances, he will take steps to improve the position of these officers, either by recommending the classification of the Exeter Post Office henceforth as an office of the Second Class, or by a direct amelioration of the pecuniary position of its senior subordinate officers?
§ MR. FAWCETT,in reply, said, that until he saw the hon. Member's Question his attention had not been called to the state of things referred to. But he had made inquiries on the subject, and found that there had been no increase of work during the last nine years, or, at least, no such increase as had occurred in such large places as Manchester and Glasgow. As to there having been no increase of pay, that arose from the fact that when the Department was created there was a great increase in the number of servants, most of whom were of nearly the same age, from which had arisen a block against promotion. Moreover, he was sorry to say that the difficulty was not to find suitable persons for employment, but to find sufficient employment for well-qualified persons.