§ MR. JAMES ROWLANDS (Finsbury)I beg to ask the Postmaster General whether he can state the amount voted for extra work in the Savings Bank Department of the General Post Office in the Estimates for 1886–7, 1887–8, and 1888–9 respectively, together with the amounts actually paid on this head for 1886–7 and 1887–8, and the amounts paid or due for 1888–9; and, as the examination and comparison of depositors' books with the ledgers of the Department is one of the most effective checks on both the local postmasters and the work of the ledger clerks, whether he will state the total number of deposit books received for examination from 1248 the 1st of January 1888 to the 1st of January 1889, and the number examined in the regular course during official hours and on extra work respectively; and whether he will state the number of established male clerks employed on extra work from the 1st of January 1889 to the 23rd of March 1889, and the number of hours extra work performed by them?
§ *MR. RAIKESThe total amount voted for all extra work in the Savings Bank for the three respective years was:—1886–7, £10,500; 1887–8, £10,300; 1888–9, £10,200. The amounts expended were:—1886–7, £11,522; 1887–8, £13,306; probable amount for 1889–90, £16,000. The total number of deposit books received for examination from the 1st of January, 1888, to the 1st of January, 1889, was 1,636,319. Of these, 1,078,303 were examined during official hours. The number examined on extra duty was 558,016. Between the 1st of January, 1889, and the 23rd of March last, 391 established male clerks were employed on extra work. This extra work is mainly piece work, and is allotted to those who volunteer. I cannot give the number of hours of extra work per formed by each one of them. I may add that I am taking steps to reduce the amount of extra duty.