§ MR. CONYBEAREI beg to ask the Postmaster General whether the overpayment in the salaries of clerks in the Central Telegraph Office, prior to April 1888, was due to an error for which the Treasury was responsible, and not to fortnightly payments; whether in the 1,475 officers are included a considerable number of probationers who do receive fortnightly payments, and administrative officers who never have been included in a petition from the main body; whether the maximum salary at present received by nearly two-thirds of the staff is £80, which is the maximum salary of most of the officers in other branches, who are paid monthly; and how many signatures would be necessary to obtain the desired alteration?
§ *MR. RAIKESIn reply to hon. the Member, I have to state that the overpayment to which his question refers was not due to an error for which the Treasury was responsible Amongst the 1,475 officers mentioned in my reply to the hon. Member's question of the 25th ultimo, there are included 160 junior telegraphists and probationers who have not yet reached the point where an annual rate of payment begins, but no administration officers are included. 965 telegraphists out of 1,475 are on a scale of salary the maximum of which is £100 a year, and not £80 a a year. The proposal to revert to the fortnightly payment of yearly salaries could not, I regret to say, be entertained, even though the whole of the officers concerned made a request to that effect.