§ MR. MURPHY (Kerry, E.)To ask the Postmaster General, if he will cause inquiries to be made into the wages, hours of duty, and service of Mr. Cornelius Healy, a rural postman at Headford, county Kerry, who is only in receipt of 5s. 4d. per week after seven years' service; and if he can see his way to give an advance to this man so that he can maintain himself.
§ (Answered by Mr. Sydney Buxton.) The man referred to is not an established postman, but is employed for a few hours only on four days a week. There is no more continuous duty to which he can be transferred. There are a number of delivery duties of this kind which only occupy a comparatively small part of a working day, and the men employed upon them are therefore free to engage in other work during the remainder of the day. This point must be taken into account in considering the adequacy of the wages.