§ MR. BURT (Morpeth)I beg to ask the Postmaster-General if he will explain why rural postmen at Barrasford, Felton, Wark, Bellingham, and Humshaugh have not been paid the higher maximum introduced by Lord Tweedmouth's Committee; and whether he will cause the payment of arrears to be made to those postmen who were at the time of the introduction of the present scale at the maximum, or have since reached it.
§ THE POSTMASTER-GENERAL (Mr. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAIN, Worcestershire, E.)There is no question of arrears in the cases referred to by the hon. Member. The situations filled by the postmen in question will in future, as vacancies occur, carry fixed wages instead of a scale; but this alteration does not affect the present holders, who were allowed to retain their former scale with a maximum of 19s. In the course of last year it was found that the circumstances were such as to justify an increase of this maximum to 20s., and authority was given accordingly.
§ MR. BURTWill the Committee which the right hon. Gentleman is about to appoint have power to deal with matters of this kind?
§ MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINYes, Sir; they will have power to take evidence and make recommendations to me but not, of course, power to deal with them of their own motion. This is one of the kind of cases which the men by their representatives can bring before the Committee.