HC Deb 09 July 1890 vol 346 cc1245-8

On Motion for Adjournment:—

(5.40.) MR. CONYBEARE (Cornwall, Camborne)

I want to ask the right hon. Gentleman who represents the Government a question which I should have desired to put to the Postmaster General had he been in his place. I want to place before the House the fact that the difficulty at the General Post Office has reached a very critical point at the present moment. The difficulty has arisen in this way. I put a question to the right hon. Gentleman the Postmaster General on Monday night, and pointed out that the men were willing and anxious to avoid any friction, and that they had accordingly accepted the proposal put forward by Mr. Shipton on behalf of the Trades' Union Council, and passed a resolution that no attempt to strike should be made until a report of the result of the intervention had been received by them, provided that no supernumerary labour was introduced to supplant the men during, what I may call, the truce. I had hoped that that representation might have stayed the hand of the Postmaster General, but it may be recollected that the right hon. Gentleman (Mr. Raikes) met my remarks in an exceedingly hostile manner, and intimated—what was certainly not the case—that the men were backing down and giving in to whatever he might demand of them. Practically he threatened that he would continue to import what are technically known as—I do not use the word offensively—blacklegs. Yesterday these supernumerary hands were put on, and the consequence is that there have been today, at the different post offices, conflicts, not of a serious character, I suppose in consequence of the men naturally refusing to work with those whom they regarded as blacklegs. In the course of the day the Postmaster General, or his subordinates, have insisted on the men signing a declaration to the effect that they will agree not to strike before the 21st of July. The first form of the declaration was that they should not strike at all. I believe that Sir A. Stephenson Blackwood has this afternoon given way to the extent I have stated, and the declaration now asked for is that the men shall not strike before the 21st of July—that is to say, during the time of the intervention agreed upon on Monday night last. It is perfectly obvious that if the men were compelled to sign a declaration of that kind the Postmaster General would be free, during the 12 days, to draft in the blacklegs and to teach them the business. The men ask merely for a recognition of their rights of combination, and for a re-instatement of the men who have been suspended or dismissed because they have stood up for their rights. If the Postmaster General, or his subordinates, insist on the men signing this declaration, or on calling in the police or military, if necessary, for the purpose of turning them out of the Post Office, I need hardly point out the exceedingly grave difficulties that must result. I do ask the right hon. Gentleman not to proceed with these, extreme measures. The men are perfectly willing to sign the declaration which I have read; not to strike before the 21st of July, provided that the authorities on their part undertake not to introduce any additional labour during' that, time, and that the additional labour now employed be got rid of. The men are most anxious not t6 dislocate the Public Service, and if the Postmaster General deliberately employs blacklegs for the purpose of supplanting them, it is an intolerable state of things, and one which, I think, this House ought to take into consideration. It is too late to put a question down on the Paper for to-morrow with regard to the particular points I am raising, and I regret very much that the Postmaster General is not present. If he had been in his place I should have asked him how many men have been suspended in the East Central District; how many in the West Central District; and how many in the Mount Pleasant District; how many supernumerary men have been introduced at each station; and whether it is not the fact that the new men introduced have been in excess of those suspended or dismissed. I, this afternoon, asked permission to go into the Post Office to examine the working of the station, but permission was refused by Sir A. Blackwood. I do not say he was not justified in his refusal; but, in view of the discussions which must arise on the Post Office Vote, I think it would be only right that Members of Parliament should have access to the Post Office. I shall certainly press the right, if I am again refused, to see something of the inner working of the Post Office between now and the time the Post Office Vote comes on for discussion.

(5.48.) MR. J. ROWLANDS (Finsbury, E.)

I think we have some cause to complain—with all respect to the Secretary to the Treasury, who seems to think it a joke that an inquiry should be made at this period into the state of the Postal Department—that the Postmaster General is not in his place, because he must have expected that some questions would be asked on so important a subject. I have this afternoon received telegrams from commercial men in my constituency, to the effect that they have already been inconvenienced by the state of things at the Post Office, and I wish to know if the Postmaster General is going to take steps to secure the proper carrying out of the Postal Service. I want to know if he intends to persevere, in a policy which will dislocate the Postal Service, or adopt one that will conciliate the postmen, and enable work to be carried on in the regular way. The whole of the Metropolis is in a state of excitement on this question, and we have a right to know something definite as to whether we can expect the work of the Post Office to go on peacefully and properly. I am not going into the details of the case, which have been dealt with by the hon. Member for the Camborne Division. The whole thing will have to be threshed out when we get a chance of dealing with the Post Office Vote. But, in the interest of the general community, I wish to know whether we can depend upon such action being taken by the head of the Post Office as will ensure that the Department will not be disorganised by his conduct. Can the commercial and trading classes rely upon receiving their communications in the way they received them before this crisis came upon us?

(5.50.) THE SECRETARY TO THB TREASURY (Mr. JACKSON, Leeds, N.)

I am sorry that the hon. Member should have thought I am inclined to treat this matter as a joke. Nothing is further from my desire. But I would say I think that if anybody has reason to complain it is the Postmaster General. For my own part, I know nothing of the circumstances, but I apprehend that no notice was given to the right hon. Gentleman that questions were going to be asked. I venture to say that it is a little inconvenient that statements of this kind should be made in the absence of the Minister responsible for the Department. I am sure that, if notice had been given, my right hon. Friend would have been perfectly willing to answer the questions put. I myself, of course, am unable to do so.

House adjourned at ten minutes before Six o'clock.