§ MR. PATRICK O'BRIEN (Kilkenny)To ask the Postmaster-General whether, in view of the fact that tube attendants I are to be promoted no longer to lobby 673 officers, he will state if they are to receive any compensation for this loss; and whether, as pensioned policemen are to be utilised for these positions, he will state if the pensions these men receive are taken into consideration when their wages are fixed, with a view towards depreciating the scales of wages previously paid for this class of work.
(Answered by Mr. Austen Chamberlain.) I have under consideration a Memorial from the tube attendants for higher pay, but I do not propose to grant any compensation on account of the alteration made in the system of recruiting the class of lobby officers referred to by the hon. Member. A considerable economy has been effected by the employment of police pensioners, who are quite capable of performing the duty and better fitted for it than the tube attendants.