§ MR. SOARES (Devonshire, Barnstaple)I beg to ask the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that Samuel Hopkins, an unestablished rural postman from Barnstaple to Ashford, was dismissed on the ground of ill-health on the 11th instant, no gratuity or pension having been given him; and whether, seeing that Hopkins is now fifty-five years of age, and has been in the employ 224 of the Post Office for over twenty-one years, that he was receiving wages of 19s. 6d. per week, and was already in possession of one good conduct stripe, another being due to him this month, he will, having regard to the fact that Hopkins has no means of livelihood now open to him, consider the advisability of granting him a compassionate gratuity or a pension.
§ THE POSTMASTER-GENERAL (Mr. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAIN, Worcestershire, E.)The services of Samuel Hopkins, unestablished rural postman from Barnstaple to Ashford, were discontinued on the 11th instant, because he had been absent through illness for a considerable time and was certified by the medical officer to be permanently unfit for the discharge of his official duties. I regret that his service was not such as to render him eligible for any award under the Superannuation Acts.