§ SIR THOMAS ESMONDE (Wexford, N.)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether he can state the reason for the delay in commencing the building
* See Debates, Fourth Series, Vol. lxxxix., pages 484 and 703.728 of the new post office at Enniscorthy; whether the responsibility rests with the Post Office, or the Treasury, or the Irish Board of Works; and why the promise given by him that the works should be commenced this month is not to be fulfilled; is he aware that the existing post office at Enniscorthy has been condemned by the sanitary authorities; and that the employees there carry on their work, under conditions of danger to health, in one small room without sufficient light or ventilation; will he give the dimensions of this room, the number of employees occupying it, details of the business dealt with there, and the number of sub-post offices served from Enniscorthy post office; and will the Post Office compensate any of their Enniscorthy employees who suffer in health from the conditions mentioned; and have complaints reached the authorities under this head; and whether, in view of the circumstances of the case, the authorities will adhere to their promise, and call for tenders for the construction of the new post office immediately.
§ MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINThe tenders for the erection of the new Crown Post Office at Enniscorthy have been called for and are to be sent in by the 25th instant. In the meantime arrangements have been made for moving, the business to temporary premises, which have lately become available, and where better accommodation will be afforded for all branches of the business. The dimensions of the principal room in the old post office, which was provided by the postmistress, were 18 ft. 9in. by 11 ft. 10 in. by 8 ft. 7 in., and for three periods of fifteen and thirty minutes respectively during the day the number of persons in it was seventeen. During the rest of the day the number varied from one to five. All the usual branches of business were carried on there, and the number of sub-offices under Enniscorthy is nineteen. It is not known that the premises were ever condemned by the sanitary authorities; the ventilation was not good, but no complaint was received as to the light. There is no reason to suppose that the health of any of the employees has suffered from the conditions mentioned, and only one complaint on the subject has been received.