MR. PATRICK O'BRIENI beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster-General, if he is aware that "learners" employed at a salary of 6s. per week in the Dublin Post Office have been compelled to perform despatching duties similar to those performed by officers in receipt of salaries of from 20s. per week upwards; if, on protesting against performing such duties, 1008 they were informed by a paper from the Controller of the Sorting Office, Dublin, that if they did not wish to do these duties they could go and seek work elsewhere; and if arrangements will be made to allow the officers in question to perform none but learning duties until they are paid a higher wage than 6s. per week, i.e., when they are placed on the established list and receive the initial salary of 12s. per week.
§ MR. HANBURYThe learners to whom the hon. Member refers perform half a day's work in the Dublin Sorting Office on the minor despatching duties as part of their training, and for this they receive 6s. a week, or half the minimum pay of the established class for a full day's work. During the remaining four hours of the day's attendance they are employed in learning telegraphy and other postal duties. It would not, of course, be possible to certify that the learners are fit, for permanent employment until they have had practical experience of the work, and the Postmaster-General sees no reason for altering the arrangement, which is obviously in their own interests. Certain of the Dublin learners appear to have objected to this arrangement, and they were properly informed that, if they were not prepared to comply with the regulations of the office, it would be better for them to seek other employment.
MR. PATRICK O'BRIENI beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster-General, if he is aware that, owing to insufficiency of staff on evening duty in the Dublin Sorting Office, despatching officers are not allowed sufficient time to do their duties carefully, and therefore the missending of correspondence to the inconvenience of the public is inevitable; and that the said despatching officers are punished month after month by being compelled to do extra duty without payment owing to this system; and whether a number of officers have been called upon for explanations to know why their annual salary increments should not be arrested for missending irregularities which occurred under such conditions, and if he will order the withdrawal of those explanations, and have arrangements made by which the officers are allowed sufficient time for the performance of their duties.
§ MR. HANBURYThe staff employed on the evening duty in the Dublin Sorting Office is sufficient, and under ordinary circumstances the despatching officers have ample time to perform their duties properly. Cases of missending are now less frequent, and the amount of punishment inflicted on that account is considerably less than formerly. Certain of the officers, however, who were frequently reported for careless missending of correspondence have been properly called upon for explanation and for any reasons they might have to urge why their increments of pay should not he arrested. In only one instance, however, has it been found necessary to withhold the increment.