§ MR. GEORGE PALMER (Reading)To ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether he is aware that at Reading vacancies in the postal telegraph establishment have, during the past few months, been filled by untrained females, and that the work of the Department has been hampered, and a larger proportion of evening and late attendances given to the remaining members of the staff; whether it is intended to raise the number of females employed at this office, and reduce the number of males; whether he is aware that an unestablished female telegraphist, earning on an average 15s. a week, is engaged on postal duties having charge of a £30 drawer; that 892 until recently the only lavatory accommodation for the female staff at this office was outside the post office, and approached through a shop; and, seeing that at present the only lavatory accommodation for the female clerks employed is that used by the postmaster, and that the officers employed in the chief clerk's room and anyone wishing to see the postmaster have to pass this lavatory; whether he will cause inquiry to be made into these matters with a view to better arrangements.
(Answer.) The introduction of a small proportion of female staff in the Reading office was sanctioned provisionally last year, in accordance with the usual practice at other offices of this class, and as their employment has proved successful, it will be continued as a permanent arrangement. Some of the women were, of course, not wholly trained at first, but have now become fully qualified for the duties which they have to perform. The particular counter duty referred to is a minor one, and performed under close supervision. It is not found that the work of the office has been hampered in any way by this change; and care will, of course, be taken so to limit the number of women employed as to avoid inflicting hardship on the other members of the staff. When the women were first employed, no special accommodation for them was available in the post office, and consequently a cloak room and lavatory were provided for them in a neighbouring house; but this arrangement ceased last month, and since then the women have been allowed, as a temporary measure, to have the sole use of the lavatory formerly used by the postmaster. They are satisfied with the accommodation, and no real inconvenience arises from the fact that it opens into a passage used occasionally by others. Arrangements are under consideration for constructing a new retiring-room and lavatory for the women.—(Post Office).