MR. LAWSONI beg to ask the Postmaster General whether before giving a reply to the petition of the City postmen forwarded to him on the 30th October, 1889, he will appoint a Departmental Committee to inquire into, or himself inquire into, their claim to be paid on a higher scale?
§ * MR. RAIKESPremising that the memorial of the City postmen, although dated October 30 last, did not reach my hands until the Christmas pressure was over, I may observe that in that memorial there is much with which I find myself able to agree. For instance, the postmen ask that, with one immaterial exception, their duties may be so arranged as to admit of the day's work being completed within 12 hours. In this they have my full sympathy. Already, since the date of their memorial much has been done, and much will continue to be done, with a view as far as possible to comply with what seems tome a very reasonable request. So, again, they ask that the rates of pay which they receive for extra duty may be raised. This, I am happy so say, has been done since their memorial was received. A third request is that the rule which prohibits them from holding meetings outside the Post Office building for the discussion of 723 questions connected with their duties and pay may be abrogated. As stated the other day, in reply to a question pat by the hon. Member for Shoreditch, I have been for some time considering whether the existing rule cannot be so amended as to afford reasonable facilities for such meetings being held, and I hope before long to be able to announce a material amendment of the rule. With two requests, on the other hand, I have felt unable to comply. Of these one is that the rule prohibiting them from writing to the Press on official matters may be repealed. This, I need hardly inform the House, is a rule applicable to the entire Civil Service, and obviously no exception can be made in favour of the City postmen. Another request that I would recommend that their wages should rise as high as 40s. a week. With this request I could not consistently comply, entertaining, as I do, a strong-opinion that wages of 32s. a week, the maximum to which they now rise, coupled with good conduct stripes, carrying in the majority of cases an additional allowance of 3s. a week, and also with uniform, gratuitous medical attendance, sick pay during absence, and, above all, pensions, affords adequate remuneration for the duties to be discharged. I have ventured to inflict these details upon the House in order to explain why it is that I have not, as suggested by the hon. Member, thought it necessary to refer the memorial of the City postmen to a Departmental Committee.