§ MR. M'CARTAN (Down, S.)asked the Postmaster General, Whether he is aware that every class of telegraph clerks employed at the Central Telegraph Office, except the second and lowest-paid class, have received considerable benefit under the Fawcett Scheme; whether the superintendents and assistant superintendents have had their maximum salaries increased on two occasions since 1881; whether, owing to the additional work imposed upon them by the introduction of the 6d. tariff, a further increases was under consideration; whether he can state if the clerks eligible for promotion into the first class haves longer service now than those who were previously promoted to the first class had when they were promoted; whether a margin to meet future requirements exists with regard to the 1368 senior class; and, whether, considering he treatment recently given to the Dublin clerks, he will see that the London clerks are similarly treated with regard promotion to the vacancies in the higher class?
§ THE POSTMASTER GENERAL (Mr. RAIKES) (Cambridge University)In reply to the hon. Member, I have to state that under the Fawcett Scheme alluded to the second class of telegraph clerks at the Central Telegraph Office receive equal benefit with the class above it. The scales of the superintendents and the assistant superintendents have not been raised on two occasions since 1881, and no further increase of scale is in contemplation over that given this year. The clerks highest in the second class have not longer service than those last promoted to the first last had at the time of their promotion. The class of senior clerks is now full. As stated on Monday, in reply to the hon. Member, the practice in London is some what different from that in Dublin, and it is not intended to fill all the places on he first class at once.