HC Deb 20 October 1908 vol 194 cc946-8
MR. LEVERTON HARRIS (Tower Hamlets, Stepney)

I beg to ask the Postmaster-General whether any employment has yet been found in the Post Office service for men recently discharged by the National Telephone Company, owing to the stoppage of construction work due to the Government taking over the business of the Company; and what provision he proposes to make for finding work for men who are discharged in districts where there is no Post Office telephone system.

MR. SYDNEY BUXTON

As I stated yesterday, such discharges by the National Telephone Company as have recently taken place where they were not due to misconduct or incompetence, or to the termination of temporary employment or employment for certain special purposes, have been mainly caused by an exceptional falling off in orders obtained from the public consequent on the recent depression of business throughout the United Kingdom, and not by such a stoppage of the general construction work as is suggested in the Question. Employment has been found in the Post Office during the last six months for more than 100 of the men discharged, and I am anxious to do what I can in that direction; but the existing openings at my disposal are, of course, limited. As I have already stated, I desire to come to an arrangement with the Company whereby the general construction work of the telephone system can be steadily continued in the best way until the Company's undertaking is taken over by the Post Office.

*MR. JAMES HOPE (Sheffield, Central)

Is not the right hon. Gentleman convinced by his own experience of the inexpediency of any attempt on the part of the State to resume the monopoly of traffic over which it has lost immediate control?

MR. SYDNEY BUXTON

On the contrary.

MR. LUPTON

Is not the present an opportune time for new construction inasmuch as work can be done at moderate rates? Is it not the fact also that agricultural districts would benefit largely by an extension of the telephone system?

MR. SYDNEY BUXTON

That is too large a subject to be dealt with in an answer to a Question across the floor of the House. I should be glad, however, to discuss it on a suitable occasion.