MR. PATRICK O'BRIENI beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, if he is aware that two auxiliary postmen employed for five and six years respectively in a small sub-office in Essex, at wages of 9s. per week, have recently been called upon to refund a sum of 9d. per week as and from the 1st April, 1897; if so, on what ground is the demand made, and can it be legally enforced?
§ MR. HANBURYIt is not the case that these men were called upon to refund 9d. a week from their wages. As a matter of fact, while they used to be paid 9s. for their service on weekdays and 169 alternate Sundays, they will now receive 8s. 3d. for the weekdays and 1s. 7d. on each alternate Sunday, Sunday service under the Tweedmouth scheme being separately paid for. The postmaster seems to have misunderstood the facts, and led the men to believe that they might have to refund the 9d., but he was under a misapprehension.