§ MR. BELL (Derby)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether he will give the number of sorters attached to the London postal service serving with the colours in South Africa, the number of acting, temporary, casual, and supernumerary sorters and auxiliaries, and part time auxiliaries employed in the London postal service; and whether, in view of the condemnation of auxiliary labour by the Tweedmouth Committee and the representatives of organised labour, the Postmaster General will take steps to abolish this form of labour.
§ MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINThe number of sorters attached to the London postal service now serving with the colours in South Africa is 162; and the number of acting, temporary, casual, and supernumerary sorters employed in London is 406. The hon. Member appears to be under a misapprehension as to the findings of the Tweedmonth Committee upon the subject of auxiliary labour. While desiring as far as possible to discourage the employment of this class of labour, the Committee recognised the impossibility of altogether dispensing with it; and under present circumstances the Postmaster General sees no immediate prospect of being able to make any material reduction in the number so employed.