§ MR. BOWERMAN (Deptford)To ask the Postmaster-General whether he has decided that the duties of examining telegraph messages, now performed by overseers and senior telegraphists in the Central Telegraph Office, are to be performed by women; whether he is aware that, before the Select Committee, official witnesses claimed that these duties were of so superior a character as to differentiate the work of the general body of operators from the senior telegraphists; whether he will explain the reason for making alterations affecting the position of the male staff, after the evidence given before a Select Committee of this House, and before the presentation of its Report; and, whether he is aware that such actions cause a feeling of distrust of the administration throughout the service.
(Answered by Mr. Sydney Buxton.) No such proposal would be considered pending the issue of the Report of the Select Committee. I do not see, therefore, how any "feeling of distrust of the administration throughout the service can have been caused by actions which have not been taken.