MR. O'BRIENasked the Postmaster General, Is it a fact that not fewer than fifteen on the second class of surveyors' clerks in the Post Office, or nearly one-half, are sons or relatives of surveyors or officers holding high positions in the Post Office; whether eight other officers, who are employed as surveyors' clerks, are also sons or relatives of surveyors or other high Post Office officials; whether, of the eight officers last referred to, two were appointed to these duties after a service in the Post Office of less than one year, and the other six after a service of from one to three years; whether two of them were under seventeen years of age when first employed; whether two of them are sons of the surveyors under whom they serve; whether, for the most part, the eight officers referred to entered the Post Office service at wages of about 12s. a-week, to qualify for which they were required to pass a non-competitive examination of an elementary character only; whether these officers are drawing allowances of 15s. per day, in addition to their pay and first-class railway fares; and, whether, seeing that the surveyors exercise control over Postmasters and others, and that these appointments carry with them a salary commencing at £150 a-year, and rising through two classes to £800 a-year, in addition to allowances of 15s a-day and 1475 upwards, some means can be devised for throwing open these appointments practically, as well as nominally, to the; whole Service?
§ MR. FAWCETTSir, some time before the hon. Member placed his Question on the Paper I noticed the facts to which he now directs my attention, and which are, in the main, correct. I came to the conclusion that it would be desirable to adopt some plan which would give to the Service generally a freer access to employment, whether temporarily or permanently, on the Surveyor's staff. I have not yet decided the best plan to adopt to secure this object; but there shall be no unnecessary delay in arriving at a decision.