§ MR. PATRICK O'BRIEN) (Monaghan, N.I beg to ask the Postmaster General whether the difficulty in classifying and placing on scales of pay, with annual increments, the general body of Postmasters has now been got over; and, 15 if so, when will the new arrangement come into operation?
§ *MR. RAIKESNo, Sir; the objections to the arrangements suggested by the hon. Member remain the same. The system of paying salaries with a regular increment according to scale does not appear to be properly applicable to appointments such as Postmaster ships, the duties attached to which are liable to increase or decrease with the growth or diminution of local business, or owing to changes in the Postal Service. Under the present system the remuneration can be adjusted fairly and accurately in accordance with the increase or decrease of work, so that if the business grows less, or remains stationary, the salary need not be raised. Under the scale system the Department might be paying a Postmaster an increasing salary for decreasing or stationary work. The present method is the most advantageous to Postmasters who, on their appointments, at once receive the maximum salary which the amount of business will then justify.