SIR TREVOR LAWRENCEasked the Postmaster General, What is the 611 cause of the delay in issuing the good service stripes, carrying an extra pay of 1s. a-week, promised some time ago to letter carriers who had served for five years; whether those stripes will be issued without further delay; and, whether letter carriers will receive back pay from the date on which they became entitled to those stripes?
§ MR. FAWCETTSir, I think the hon. Member is under a misapprehension as to the bestowal of good conduct stripes on postmen. It was never intended that all postmen who had served for five years and upwards should have good conduct stripes; but a certain number of these stripes were allotted to each locality for distribution among the most deserving postmen. In cases in which there is any delay in filling up a vacancy, the postman upon whom the good conduct stripe is conferred receives the allowance which the stripe carries from the date of vacancy, or else from the date on which he completed the prescribed period of service. I may add that about 5,600 postmen are now the wearers of one or more good conduct stripes.