§ MR. O'SHEAasked the Postmaster General, Whether, in deciding on any suggestions which, in accordance with his invitation, may be laid before him by Telephone Companies, he will take care to exact such conditions as may protect the public against the evil effect of private monopolies which might be created by the amalgamation of, or by arrangements between, the Companies?
§ MR. FAWCETTI can assure my hon. Friend that the considerations to which he refers will be carefully taken into account in dealing with the question of telephonic communication.
§ MR. BIGGARasked the Postmaster General, Whether there has recently been appointed to the position of Stationery Clerk in the office of the Surveyor of the Midland District of Scotland, a son of the Postmaster of Edinburgh; if so, whether this gentleman, till thus appointed, held any appointment in the Post Office; and, if not, whether there were no employees in the lower grades of the Department qualified for the post; whether a son of the Postmaster in Glasgow has recently been put on the staff of the Surveyor for the Northern District of Scotland, and whether he held any prior appointment in the Department; and, whether a gentleman in the Surveyor's Department in Scotland was formerly in an Irish Militia Regiment, and is now in a Surrey Regiment of Militia; and, whether he 1679 draws salary both in his capacity of officer of Militia and Post Office employée?
§ MR. FAWCETTThe practice has long prevailed of allowing the Surveyor to select stationery clerks from the clerks in Provincial post-offices. I find that the son, not as stated in the hon. Member's Question, of the Postmaster of Edinburgh, but of an official in that Office, was appointed a stationery clerk almost immediately after he was appointed to a clerkship in a Provincial post-office. The soil of the Postmaster of Glasgow is employed temporarily as a Surveyor's clerk; but he has no permanent appointment on the Surveyor's staff. I am considering whether it will not be desirable to introduce some change in the present mode of selecting not only stationery clerks, but also Surveyor's clerks, whether permanent or temporary. It is the case that a Surveyor's clerk in Scotland holds a commission in a Militia regiment. I certainly think such an arrangement would be undesirable if it in any way interfered with the due discharge of official duties; but I do not think this can be so in this case, as although he has held this commission for 18 years, on only one occasion has he been absent from his official duties for more than the ordinary period allowed for leave of absence. I presume that the officer in question draws the pay of a Militia officer while out with his regiment for training.