§ MR. W. JOHNSTON (Belfast, S.)On behalf of the honourable Member for North Belfast, I beg to ask the Secretary 687 to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, will he explain why the proportion of assistant superintendents to telegraphists is in Manchester (first-class office) 1 to 13.8, Dundee (third-class office) 1 to 18, while in Belfast (second-class office) it is only 1 to 19, and why Manchester is allowed £17 10s. per man per annum for supervision while Belfast is allowed only £11 5s.; whether repeated applications have been made from Belfast during the past two years pointing out that exactly analogous duties to those of assistant superintendents are being performed by clerks without extra remuneration; and whether he will take steps to raise Belfast to the same level in respect to superior appointments as other large offices?
§ THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Mr. R. W. HANBURY,) PrestonThe proportion of assistant superintendents to telegraphists at different offices must necessarily vary according to the conditions of work. As regards Belfast, however, the Postmaster General hopes shortly to make an addition to the number of supervising appointments.