REVENUE DEPARTMENTS. (Hansard, 10 March 1883)

§ MR. ARTHUR O'CONNOR
said, this Vote purported to be an additional sum 134 required to improve the position of certain Post Office officials, and amongst others the postmasters, sub-postmasters, letter carriers, and clerks in Ireland. Well, he was not aware that any of the money was to go to the sub-postmasters in Ireland, although their position was such as loudly called for notice at the hands of the Post Office authorities. These men were singularly overworked, and singularly underpaid; and it would be exceedingly difficult, in the whole extent of the Civil Service, to find any set of men who received such a small allowance, and from whom was exacted such an extraordinary amount of personal service. The sub-postmasters who were in charge of money order and telegraph offices in Ireland had, first of all, to set up an office at their own expense—not at the expense of the Government. They had to enter into a personal bond of £500; they had to be in attendance at their office from 8 o'clock in the morning to 8 o'clock at night; they were not allowed to be off duty during those hours for one moment—they were liable to censure if any complaint was made about them as to their being away from their official desks for ever so short a time. It was well known that for this double duty of post and telegraph service it was absolutely necessary for many of these men to obtain assistance, and that they did not receive any allowance for that assistance. They were obliged to obtain assistance, because it was physically impossible for them to attend to all the duties of sub-postmaster and telegraph clerk. The allowance these persons received as sub-postmaster was the munificent sum of 7s. a-week, and for telegraph clerk a further sum of 6s. a-week. That was to say, a man had to enter into this bond for £500, give constant attendance all the year round from 8 in the morning to 8 at night, and find an assistant, and to bear the responsibility of most important duties for 13s. a-week. For telegraph duty, to work what was called the sounder instrument, the sub-postmaster was bound to employ, or be himself, a skilled operator; whereas, for duties precisely similar, an ordinary telegraph clerk was allowed from 30s. to 50s. a week; and besides that, he received an extra allowance when he was on what was called relief duty. The telegraph clerk worked 135 only eight hours a day; whereas the sub-postmaster had to be on duty, without break, for 12 hours a day. The clerk obtained 1s. an hour for every extra duty that he might have to discharge, so that if he worked as the sub-postmaster did—and the sub-postmaster's was really a much more important duty of the two—he would receive 4s. a day extra allowance. The telegraph clerk was allowed throe weeks' leave of absence in the year, and he was allowed, if necessary, six months' sick leave on full day; but the sub-postmaster was not allowed leave of absence at all the whole year round. He was not allowed anything if he should happen to be sick—he was sick at his own expense. The telegraph clerk was entitled to a pension; but the unfortunate sub-postmaster, when he was appointed to his post, had to sign a document, which declared that he did not claim any right to pension whatsoever, however many years he might occupy his post. He (Mr. O'Connor) had shown, in as few words as he possibly could, that there was much to be said of the hardship of the position of the sub-postmasters of Ireland, and that theirs was a position well deserving the attention and consideration of the Post Office authorities.

§ MR. SHAW LEFEVRE
said, that nearly the whole of this large Vote was due to increase of the salaries of postal clerks, telegraph clerks, letter carriers, and others.

§ MR. ARTHUR O'CONNOR
But not Irish sub-postmasters.

§ MR. SHAW LEFEVRE
said, he had thought that class would be included. At any rate, he hoped the hon. Gentleman would be satisfied for the present with having made this statement, for, no doubt, it would receive the careful attention of the Post Office authorities. At the same time, the hon. Member and the Committee must not forget that the whole of this large Supplementary Vote, which added so materially to the charge for last year and the current year, was due to increase of salaries in the Post Office.

§ MR. ARTHUR O'CONNOR
said, he should be satisfied if the right hon. Member would assure him that he would bring the matter under the attention of the Postmaster General; because there was no one in the House whom he 136 thought more of, and in whom he had greater confidence than the Postmaster General.

§ MR. BUCHANAN
said, there was a feeling amongst the Post Office Sorting Clerks in Edinburgh, who enjoyed the increase of salary consequent on the introduction of the new scheme, for which they were all grateful to the Postmaster Genera], that they had not been put in a position of equality with the English and other clerks in a similar rank in regard to holidays. He hoped the right hon. Gentleman would bring this matter also under the notice of the right hon. Gentleman the Postmaster General.

§ MR. WARTON
said; that, as he read the Estimate, sub-postmasters were receiving additional pay.

§ MR. T. D. SULLIVAN
said, there was one matter in connection with this Post Office expenditure on which lie should like to obtain a little information from the Government, and that was with regard to the Letter Opening Department. Many hon. Members were entirely in the dark, and were very anxious to know into whose hands work of this description was committed? It was admitted that both in Ireland and England there was a good deal of this class of work done, and it was certainly important to know who performed it. Was any sub-postmaster, or any Post Office clerk, entitled to detain any letter he thought fit? If so, into whose hands did he pass the letters so detained, and who ultimately received and examined them? He did not make this inquiry in any frivolous spirit. It was a matter of importance to many people to know that if this letter opening was done—as they knew it was—they should be made acquainted with the class of men who did it.

§ MR. SHAW LEFEVRE
said, he was afraid he could throw no light on the subject. The matter was entirely in the jurisdiction of the Home Secretary; and, during the short time he (Mr. Shaw Lefevre) had administered at the Post Office on the part of his right hon. Friend (Mr. Fawcett), he had not received any communication on the subject.

§ MR. T. D. SULLIVAN
said, the Home Secretary was not present, so that seemingly they had to give the money without receiving any information. He would move that the Vote be reduced by the turn of £1,000.