§ MR. STEADMAN (Tower Hamlets, Stepney)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster-General, if it is possible to reduce the punishment inflicted on Postman Wayte, of the Hanley Branch Office, Stoke-on-Trent, for the omission to deliver certain registered letters which the clerk in charge is said to have forgotten to hand to him before he started his delivery; and if he is aware that Wayte, who has served 37 years, and has borne an exceptionally good character, has been deprived of three extra stripes recommended by the Tweedmouth Committee?
§ THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Mr. R. W. HANBURY, Preston)The clerk in charge did not forget to hand these registered letter to the postman. The postman neglected to apply for them before starting on his second delivery, although told that there were such letters—and on his return he refused to take them out and deliver them, on the plea that the shops to which they were addressed would be closed. The superintendent took them out, found all the shops open, and delivered them. For this Wayte was not punished but cautioned. His length of service rendered him eligible for three additional good conduct stripes under the recommendations of the Tweedmouth Committee, provided his conduct was good. Unfortunately this was not the case, and the award could not, therefore, be made. He has since lost one of the three stripes he held in 1898 for his connection with gambling irregularities at Hanley Post Office?