§ MR. WEIRI beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, in view of the fact that the Secretary to the Post Office issued a circular in the name of the Postmaster General, in November last, urging that, in the interests of the service, and in order to afford a proper flow of promotion to persons engaged in it, it is desirable that retirements should take place at the age of 60; whether he is aware that at the present time two messengers are employed on the staff of adult messengers attached to the Secretary's Office of the General Post Office each of whom is 65 years of age; and whether he will in this instance consider the expediency of enforcing the provisions of the circular referred to?
§ MR. HANBURYThe circular in question granted a year of grace which was to expire on the 1st January 1898. None of the messengers in the Secretary's Office of the General Post Office have yet reached the age of 65. The question of enforcing the provisions of the circular will be considered when the proper time arrives.
§ MR. WEIRI beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, (1) whether he is aware that although the late Financial Secretary to the Post Office retired on a pension prior to the 30th November 1896, the office has not been filled up, and has in fact been abolished; and (2) will he state why the salary, £1,500, appears in the Post Office Estimates, 1897–8; and to whom it is paid?
§ MR. HANBURYThe answer to the first part of the hon. Member's Question is "Yes." As to the second, the explanation is that the Estimates were prepared before a decision had been arrived at to abolish the office referred to. The salary has not been paid to any one since the retirement of the lute Financial Secretary.