§ BARON FERDINAND DE ROTHSCHILD (Bucks, Ayleslrary)I beg to ask the Postmaster General whether there has been any extension of the 6enior class at the Central Telegraph Office since 1889; whether the highest salary practically obtainable by telegraph clerks is £160 per annum, thus depriving clerks of the advantage of the Fawcett scheme of 1881, which provided favourable prospects of £190 per annum; and whether he will apply any remedy to this stagnation in promotion?
§ THE POSTMASTER GENERAL (Mr. ARNOLD MORLEY,) Nottingham, E.The answer to the first part of my hon. Friend's question is in the negative. The maximum salary of a first-class telegraphist in the Central Office, which was up to 1890 £140 a year, is now £160, and he cannot get on the scale which rises to £190 until a vacancy occurs in the next class of senior telegraphists. It would obviously be improper to create additional appointments in the higher class simply for the purpose of making promotion. I would point out to my hon. Friend that at the present time there are only two officers in the first-class who are in receipt of the maximum.
§ BARON F. DE ROTHSCHILDThen am I to understand the right hon. Gen- 551 tleman declines to re-consider this matter?
§ MR. A. MORLEYThe whole question was considered by my Predecessor in 1890, and various changes were made. I cannot, therefore, re-open it now.