§ Captain Polhillrose to move, that the petition of the Two-penny post carriers, which he had presented on the 14th of April, be referred to a Select Committee. The nature of that petition was already known to hon. Members, whose support as well as that of the Go- 1485 vernment he hoped it would have. The petitioners were a body of men who underwent very great hardships, for which they were badly remunerated. During the severe weather of last winter, for instance, they had not only performed their own but a considerable portion of the general postman's duty, for which extra labour they had not received any compensation. Now, he was of opinion that they should be paid a higher salary than the general postmen, and that their numbers should be increased. They were obliged to work twelve hours a-day during six days of the week, for which they were paid but 20s., without being able to enjoy their meals at home. Then with regard to superannuation, they had nothing to look to in their old age, after having been worn out in the public service, but the retiring pittance of 9s. a-week,—a sum he conceived to be quite insufficient. Under these circumstances he hoped the Government would take the subject into consideration.
§ Lord Seymouropposed the motion, and observed, that comparing the pay of the twopenny-post carriers with that of many other classes of persons in the same sphere of life, it was quite sufficient. They had this advantage besides, which many others did not enjoy—that during illness, they were paid 11s. a-week, and for extra duty 4s.
Mr. F. Baringthought, that that House ought not to encourage applications for an increase of salary from parties who had their own office to go to in the first instance. If they found that their complaints were not attended to by the Postmaster-General, then they might be justified in appealing to that House. The salary paid to the twopenny letter-carriers in the year 1800 was much lower than it was at present. In 1812, it was raised to its present amount, a period, it should be recollected, at which the price of labour and provisions was much higher than it was now.
§ The House divided:—Ayes 19; Noes 35: Majority 16.
| List of the AYES. | |
| Aglionby, H. A. | Lowther, J. H. |
| Bonham, R. F. | O'Connell, D. |
| Crawford, W. S. | Perceval, Col. |
| D'Eyncourt, C. T. | Scholefield, J. |
| Duncombe, T. | Sinclair, Sir G. |
| Forbes, William | Trevor, hon. A. |
| Gaskell, James Milnes | Vigors, N. A. |
| Hamilton, G. A. | Wakley, T, |
| Wallace, R. | TELLERS. |
| West, J. B. | Polhill, Capt. |
| Williams, W. | Sibthorp, Col. |
| List of the NOES. | |
| Baines, E. | O'Ferrall, R. M. |
| Baring, F. T. | Parrott, J. |
| Barnard. E. G. | Philips, G. R. |
| Bewes, T. | Plumptre, John P. |
| Blake, M. J. | Rice, T. S. |
| Bowring, Dr. | Richards, R. |
| Brodie, W. B. | Roebuck, J. A. |
| Brotherton, J. | Russell, Lord J. |
| Callaghan, D. | Stanley, E. J. |
| Campbell, Sir J. | Stuart, V. |
| Dillwyn, L. W. | Thompson, Colonel |
| Fergusson, R. C. | Thornley, T. |
| Fitzroy, Lord C. | Verney, Sir H. |
| Hindley, C. | Vivian, J. E. |
| Howard, P. H. | Walker, R. |
| Humphery, J. | Warburton, H. |
| Knight, H. G. | TELLERS. |
| Mosley, Sir O. | Seymour, Lord |
| O'Brien, C. | Parker, J. |