§ MR. PIMasked the Postmaster General, Whether it is true that the Sorters and Letter Carriers of Dublin held a meeting on Monday evening in the large Sorting Room of the General Post Office, at which meeting a Memorial to the Postmaster General was adopted, asking for an increase of pay; whether he has received this Memorial; and, if so, whether he can state to the House what Course the Government intend to take in the matter; whether other Memorials on this subject have not been addressed to the Postmaster General on several previous occasions lately, of which no effective notice has been taken; and, whether it is a. fact that important reforms in the Post Office arrangements were recommended more than twelve months since by the local authorities in Dublin and approved by the Postmaster General; and, if so, whether he can state to the House why these reforms have not been carried out?
§ MR. MONSELLSir, It is the case that the sorters and letter carriers of Dublin held a meeting on Monday in the sorting office of the General Post Office, and that a Memorial was then adopted, praying for an increase of wages; but, inasmuch as that Memorial reached my hands only this morning, I am not prepared to state what course will be taken in the matter. Other Memorials having the same object in view had already been received by the Postmaster General. It is not the fact that important reforms in the Post Office arrangements were recommended more than 12 months ago by the local authorities in Dublin and approved by the Postmaster General. The reforms, to which no doubt allusion is made, were recommended by an officer in London who was despatched by myself to Dublin. Of that officer's recommendations one involved an increase in the wages of the letter carriers. This increase was sanctioned in November last, and I can hold out no hope that in their case any further change will be made. The pay they now receive is identical with that of letter carriers in the large manufacturing towns in England, where the rates of wages are certainly not less than they are in Dublin. Others of the recommendations arising out of the mission to Dublin are still under the consideration of the Treasury.