MR. NOLAN (for Mr. PATRICK O'BRIEN)I beg to ask the Postmaster General if he will explain why, since the acceleration of the day mails to the North of Ireland, the sorting clerks of the Dublin Office have been compelled to perform a third daily duty, and this in direct opposition to the understanding under which they entered the Service, which was to the effect that their daily duty was to be performed in two periods; whether he is aware that this duty keeps the staff practically on duty from a very early hour in the morning until late in the evening, and forces the majority of them, who have to live through necessity at long distances from the General Post Office, to walk three hours a day going to and from their duty; and if he will see his way to abolish this duty by keeping the staff up to its full strength, as it has been considerably short for a long period, and by having the night mails disposed of in the various travelling post-offices, which would meet the exigency which created the duty complained of?
§ *THE POSTMASTER GENERAL (Sir JAMES FERGUSSON,) Manchester, N.E.A Report has been asked for from Dublin upon the first two paragraphs of the hon. Member's question. As to the third paragraph, the information in the London Office shows that there are twenty-six vacancies in the staff of 262 sorting clerks at Dublin not yet filled up. Some delay has arisen in the re-construction of the arrangements, but a Committee appointed for the purpose has now reported, and soon the staff will be brought up to its proper strength.