§ MR. SYDNEY GEDGE (Stockport)asked the Postmaster General, Whether the recommendation of the Select Committee on Sunday Postal Labour, made in their Report of 10th August, 1887—
That the collection, despatch, and delivery on Sundays of books, circulars, and printed matter other than newspapers be discontinued,has been carried into effect; whether it has been brought to the notice of the authorities in towns and villages that the collection, despatch, and delivery on Sundays of letters and newspapers will be discontinued, if Resolutions praying for discontinuance be passed in the manner recommended by the Select Committee; whether any towns or villages have passed such Resolutions, and with what result; whether, as recommended by the Select Committee, sorting clerks and indoor officials have been relieved from duty on alternate Sundays; and, whether, as recommended by the Select Committee, rural messengers have been wholly relieved from work on alternate Sundays, by the employment of substitutes at the expense of the Post Office?
§ THE POSTMASTER GENERAL (Mr. RAIKES) (Cambridge University)In order to ascertain what effect the discontinuance of the despatch and delivery 606 of book packets and circulars would have in reducing Post Office labour on Sundays I caused the experiment to be tried during one month at three large representative towns—namely, Bristol, Nottingham, and Wolverhampton. The result of this experiment may be broadly stated thus—the small reduction of work to postmen outside the Office is at least counterbalanced by the additional work indoors. I do not, therefore, think that I should be justified in adopting it. After careful consultation with those most qualified by their experience to arrive at an opinion, I am convinced that it would be not only inconvenient, but dangerous and impracticable, to adopt a system of window delivery in populous places in England. I shall, however, be glad as occasion offers to give this system a wider extension in rural post-offices where a Sunday delivery now exists. In order to test the feeling of the public with regard to the discontinuance of the Sunday post I consulted the Corporations of the eight largest Provincial towns in England—namely, Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham, Sheffield, Bradford, Bristol, and Nottingham. Six of these, by considerable majorities in their Town Councils, declined to adopt the system now existing in London; one was unwilling to express an opinion, and one was in favour of the change by a majority falling short of the suggestions of the Committee. As regards rural districts, the practice has been followed since 1871 of discontinuing the post on Sunday in any particular district upon the request of those persons residing on the post who receive two-thirds of the correspondence delivered. In my opinion, this is a more equitable way of ascertaining the general feeling of the residents than that recommended by the Committee. I am not aware that any applications have been received from towns or villages forwarding Resolutions passed in the manner recommended by the Committee. Sorting clerks and indoor officials, as a rule, perform only two hours' work on Sunday; and in many cases this is so arranged that they are required to attend on only one Sunday in three, and sometimes only one in four. I do not consider it necessary to afford any further relief in this direction. As a rule, all rural postmen whose walk is more than 12 miles, or whose work is not completed by 10 a.m. on Sunday, 607 are already relieved on every alternate Sunday. It is, I think, hardly necessary to extend this arrangement to the minor deliveries and duties in the country districts which only occupy a short time in their performance.
§ DR. CLARKDo I understand that the Post Office refuse to carry out any of the recommendations of the Select Committee?
§ MR. RAIKESIt would be more accurate to say that the Post Office have endeavoured to test the recommendations, and have found that they would not be acceptable to the public.