EARL COMPTON (York, W.R., Barnsley)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether the Royal Commission appointed to inquire into the establishments of the differ But Offices of State at Home and Abroad is empowered to inquire into the numbers, salaries, hours of labour, superannuation, cost of the staff, and the administration, regulation, and organisation of the said Offices whether the Royal Commission is still in existence; and whether if it has not finished its labours, it would be possible that it should extend its inquiries, without delay, to the Post and Telegraph Office?
§ *MR. W. H. SMITHAS I stated on the 11th inst., Her Majesty's Government consider that the questions which have arisen between the Post Office and its subordinates should be dealt with by the Department, which is quite competent to do so. It is not, in our opinion, expedient or desirable that public servants should be encouraged to look for redress of alleged grievances to the good offices of a third party, instead of to the head of their Department, who is directly responsible to the Government and to this House, Under these circumstances, we do not favour any special reference of this nature to the Royal 1604 Commission, which has been engaged on a. most protracted and difficult investigation, for a very long period, and may now naturally desire to be soon relieved of its arduous duties. I should add that the Commission was not appointed, as the instruction will show, for the investigation of grievances, but for the purpose of reviewing the organisation of public establishments, mainly with the view of effecting economy.
EARL COMPTQNAre not the words in the question as to the number Salaries, hours of labour superannuation &c., the exact words used in the instructions to the Royal Commission, and were not the telegraphists almost invited to send in a statement of their grievances?
§ *MR. W. H. SMITHI think it is probably, but it is an argument against referring questions of this kind to a Royal Commission seeing that the time occupied in such an investigation must be necessarily contracted.
§ MR. ISAACSON (Tower Hamlets Stepney)I beg to ask the Postmaster General whether he will favourably consider the position of the suspended postmen in the East End of London, some of whom have, been in the Service upwards of 30 years, with the view of re-instating those who, by intimidation were induced to join the Union, as they bitterly regret their conduct in going out with others on Thursday last?
§ *MR. SPEAKEROrder, order! The hon. Member is now going into what is mere matter of opinion.
§ *MR. RAIKESIn reply to the hon. Gentleman, I can only, say that the mattor in which he is interested shall receive my most careful consideration when a proper time arrives. I should naturally be desirous, if it should prove compatible with the public interest, to re-instate any postmen of good character who can prove that their misconduct was due to intimidation. [Cries of "Oh!" and "Collusion."]
§ *MR. SPEAKEROrder, order! If the question had appeared upon the Paper I should have struck out that part which, refers, to postmen having joined, the Union.
§ *MR. RAIKES(continuing)said: But I have at the same time to consider the maintenance of proper discipline, and I think it right to add that in view of the 1605 disgraceful behaviour since the events of last Wednesday of persons professing to be sympathisers with the postmen who on that day deserted their duty in the Eastern District, I must postpone, while such outrages continue, any consideration of representations made on their behalf.