§ CAPTAIN NORTON (Newington, W.)To ask the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that for a number of years the Civil Service Commissioners issued notices offering to candidates for the position of telegraphists in London a prospect of a salary of £190 per annum, and that at the present time in London no telegraphist who received the papers holding out this attraction is in receipt of the salary of £190 per annum; and whether he will state what prospect exists for the bulk of the men realising this salary, in view of his decision to 290 place a barrier between the £160 and £190 scales of pay.
(Answered by Lord Stanley.) I am, aware of the facts of the case to which the hon. Member refers. The telegraphists in the Central Telegraph Office have quite as good a prospect of attaining a salary of £190 a year as during the period when the notices were issued. As the hon. Member is no doubt aware, the scale of pay of the class of overseers and senior telegraphists has recently been raised, and I am considering the question of increasing the number of that class. With these improvements the prospects of the telegraphists will be much better than they were during the period referred to.