§ MR. STEADMANTo ask the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that representatives of the overseers class, London postal service, have on several occasions asked for a reply to the points raised in their interview with the Postmaster-General in 1903; that since the issue of Lord Stanley's scheme they have been informed that the matter was still under consideration, and that, as recently as November, 1905, they were informed by the Secretary of the Post Office that a reply would be given shortly; and will he explain why these replies were made in view of his statement that an answer was given to most of the points raised in December, 1904, and that the question of their pay was settled when the Stanley scheme came into operation.
(Answered by Mr. Sydney Buxton.) Most of the points raised by the memorialists were answered in 1904, but no final answer could at that time be given either to their request for the creation of a body of second class assistant superintendents or in respect of their scale of pay. The consideration of these points and the questions arising out of them was delayed pending the consideration of the Report of the Bradford Committee. The scale of pay was settled by the Stanley revision, but the other remaining points were still not in a 217 condition for settlement. At the present time it is obviously impossible for me, in view of the Select Committee now sitting, to decide the matter, or deal with the further demands they have made. I can only suggest to the memorialists that they should await the result of the Committee's Report, and that if, after I have considered it, they still desire to raise any question on the subject, they should do so.