HC Deb 24 February 1893 vol 9 cc311-2
SIR JOSEPH PEASE (Durham, Barnard Castle)

I beg to ask the Postmaster General whether any regulations exist in the Post Office by which any adult employés engage at any period of their service to enter the Army; whether there are any regulations affecting telegraph messengers which require them to do so; and whether there are any regulations for the admission of Army Reserve men into the service of the Post Office which affect the promotion of those who are already employed there?

MR. SNAPE (Lancashire, S.E., Heywood)

At the same time, I beg to ask the right hon. Gentleman whether the late Postmaster General issued an Order that all telegraph messengers should, at the age of 16, leave the Service, and join the Army or Navy; whether, at present, the boys are being compelled to sign an agreement that they will conform to this Order; and whether he will give instructions that it be rescinded?

THE POSTMASTER GENERAL (Mr. A. MORLEY, Nottingham, E.)

No such regulation as that mentioned in paragraph 1 exists, but a limited number (about 200) of the Post Office Volunteer Corps are allowed to enlist in the Army, on the condition that in the event of warlike operations they may be called upon to perform postal and telegraphic duties with the military forces of the country. In answer to paragraph 2, I will read to my hon. Friend the following extract from the form which has to be signed by telegraph messengers on their appointment:— If, at the age of 18, or on leaving the Post Office Service at 19, I enlist in the Army, and bear a good character on passing into the Reserve, I shall, before others who have not at any time been in the Post Office Service, be presented to the Civil Service Commissioners for a certificate, with a view to employment in an established capacity. My hon. Friend will see that enlistment in the Army is optional, and I may say there is no regulation requiring telegraph messengers to enter the Army. By regulations made in November, 1891, soldiers, either of the Reserve or time-expired, are accepted as candidates for the position of postman in preference to other applicants who have no special claim based on past services, and subject to the reports as to character being good, and to their satisfying the requirements of the Civil Service Commissioners, they are appointed. I have received a large number of complaints against the hardship which these regulations inflict upon the class of telegraph messengers; and, although there has hardly yet been time to fairly test the system, the subject is receiving my careful consideration.

MR. CREMER (Shoreditch, Haggerston)

Arising out of the answer, may I ask the right hon. Gentleman the First Lord of the Treasury a question? I wish to know whether the head of a Department has any authority to compel the subordinates and employés in his Department to perform duties and labours other than those for which they were engaged in connection with the Department; and whether, if the head of a Department imposes such obligations on the subordinates and employés, he is authorised to punish them for neglecting to perform such duties?

THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (Mr. W. E. GLADSTONE,) Edinburgh, Midlothian

Undoubtedly the answer to my hon. Friend's question taken generally would be in the negative; but, at the same time, it would be very difficult to make the answer applicable to a particular case without knowing the exact circumstances.

MR. CREMER

Perhaps I may be allowed to say that the question refers to the authority now exercised by the Postmaster General, concerning which I give notice that I shall put a question on the Paper.