MR. F. A. CHAINING (Northampton, E.)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether he is aware that on granting the additional postal facilities to Rushden, Northamptonshire, it was made a condition that the assistant clerk whose employment was necessitated by the increased work should have a good knowledge of geography and a capacity for general sorting, but should only have a salary of 10s. a week; could he state what are the other salaries paid in the Rushden Post Office, and whether the salaries are lower than the scale of 1245 salaries in towns of similar population and postal work in the neighbourhood; and whether he will consider the desirability of increasing this salary?
§ MR. BANBURYThe Post master General, in granting additional facilities at Rushden, did not lay down the condition in question. The assistant at the Rushden Post Office to whom the hon. Member refers is provided for under an allowance to the Sub-Postmaster, who appears to have thought it desirable in seeking for a suitable person to fill the vacancy to stipulate that the candidate should have a good knowledge of geography. The other clerks in the Rushden office are established officers of the Department, one, a man, on scale of pay ranging from 12s. to 34s. a week, and the other two, women, on a scale ranging from 10s. to 26s. a week, and these scales fire not lower than those in force at offices of similar standing. The question whether the circumstances admit of the allowance to the Sub-Postmaster for an assistant being raised shall be considered.