MR. PATRICK O'BRIENI beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether he is aware that, on 4th August, 1900, the Postmaster General stated that the male, staff were suffering incon- 1573 venience in the discharge of their duties and that remedial measures were in progress; and whether, seeing that since that period the male staff has been reduced and the female staff increased, and that such alterations have worsened the duties and attendances of the male staff, steps will be taken to revise the arrangements with a view towards improvement.
§ MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINIf the hon. Member refers to the Enniskillen office, it is not the case that the number of the permanent male staff has been reduced under the revision carried out in January last. The object of that revision was to readjust the attendances so as to admit of the staff having the proper interval of nine hours rest from duty, and this improvement has been effected. The services of a man employed temporarily previous to the revision were dispensed with, as it was found that an addition to the male staff was not justified, and that an increase of one in the permanent female staff would suffice. The number of men employed at Enniskillen is already somewhat above the average for an office of this class, and it is only on account of the early morning duties that the proportion of women employed has not been further increased.