HC Deb 21 May 1896 vol 41 cc62-3
MAJOR RASCH

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether his attention has been directed to the statement made by Colonel Borrett, of the War Office, to the Post Office Committee, on Thursday last, that the Post Office said they would give the soldiers all the vacancies they did not want themselves, and that the War Office held that meant nothing at all; and, whether he will take steps to obviate this evasion of the Order made by the late Mr. Raikes, and supported by the right hon. Member for Manchester?

THE SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Mr. R. W. HANBURY,) Preston

The attention of the Postmaster General has been drawn to the statement referred to, and he does not understand how the reported opinion of the War Office has been arrived at, seeing that, according to figures furnished by the War Office itself, over 500 soldiers, in addition to those previously employed, were last year given employment in the Post Office service.