MR. P. O'BRIENOn behalf of the hon. Member for the St. Patrick Division, Dublin (Mr. W. FIELD), I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether it is intended 1509 to carry out the recommendations of the Tweedmouth Commission respecting the labourers working in the General Post Office, Dublin, and the Parcels Depôt, Amiens Street; whether these men will receive the increment due to them between the rate of 18s. and 19s. a week and the present wage, 22s.; and whether he can state when this back money will be given and when the men's pay will be increased, as recommended by the Commission?
§ THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Mr. R. W. HANBURY,) PrestonThe difficulty in giving effect to the Tweedmouth proposal is that it contemplates two sets of men, one unestablished at a fixed wage of 22s. a week to do the rougher kind of work, and another on a scale of 22s. by 1s. to 28s., to do superior work. As the existing men are all on a scale of 18s. by 1s. to 25s., it is not possible to put them in the former class. It is, therefore, not yet decided whether to put them on the Tweedmouth scale for established men of 22s., by 1s. to 28s., keeping them as a distinct class of porters, or to amalgamate them with the ordinary postmen, who have a lower minimum, but a, higher maximum, and a larger annual increment. In either case the scale will date from 1st April last.