§ MR. JOHN O'DONNELL (Mayo, S.)To ask the Postmaster-General whether at the inquiry into the grievances of Post Office officials in 1906, a distinct promise was made by the Secretary to the Post Office that all assistants employed at head offices and at sub-offices paid on the head-office system would be forthwith placed on the establishment; whether, considering these assistants have been and are still performing exactly similar duties to the established force, they are still obliged to work on Sundays without payment, and during sickness one-third of their pay is stopped, and a reduced 983 rate of payment is made them for work performed on Bank Holidays and Christmas Day; if so, when will these officials be placed on the established force; whether their appointments will date from the time the promise was made, and whether an immediate stop will be put to the sweating or cheap labour system in the Post Office.
(Answered by Mr. Sydney Buxton.) The Question does not correctly represent the evidence to which it refers. The recommendations of the Select Committee in regard to assistants at head and salaried sub-offices, paragraphs 396–398 of their Report, will be fully carried out.