§ SIR W. WEDDERBURN (Banffshire)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India whether he is aware that since the cheap rate of postage to India heavy additional work has fallen upon the sorters of the Sea. Post Office between Bombay and Aden; whether in March last the number of bags in a single mail exceeded 1,000, whereas five years ago the average was barely half that number; whether the sorters have usually to work from 6.30 a.m. to 11 p.m.; and whether he will cause such reasonable additions to be made to the staff as will prevent excessive pressure and unduly long hours of work in a tropical climate?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA (LORD GEORGE HAMILTON, Middlesex, Ealing)I have received as yet no information as to the amount of additional work thrown upon the sorters of the Sea Post Office by the recent reduction in the rate of postage, but I will communicate with the Government of India on the subject.