§ Sir FORTESCUE FLANNERYasked the Postmaster-General if there are any scale payment sub-offices where the gross emoluments of the sub-postmaster exceed £200 a year; if so, how many; and will he also state what conditions govern the transfer or non-transfer of such scale payment sub-offices to the salaried class?
§ The POSTMASTER-GENERAL (Mr. Herbert Samuel)There are 536 scale payment sub-offices where the gross emoluments of the sub-postmaster exceed £200 a year. In accordance with the recommendation contained in paragraph 531 of the report of the Parliamentary Committee the question of converting scale payment sub-offices into salaried sub-offices is considered when the gross emoluments exceed £250 in the provinces and £500 in London. 2093 The change is not made as a matter of course when these limits are exceeded, but each case is considered on its merits.
§ Sir FORTESCUE FLANNERYasked if it is the duty of the sub-postmaster at those rural sub-offices from which deliveries by postmen are made to sort the incoming letters into postmen's walks; and what remuneration attaches to this work?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELIt is the duty of the sub-postmasters at some of the offices in question to provide for the sorting of incoming letters. The work is included in the general work of the office, which is remunerated on the scale approved by the Parliamentary Committee. At a number of sub-offices the work of sorting inward letters is done by postmen, and this practice is being extended gradually as circumstances permit.
§ Sir FORTESCUE FLANNERYasked if it is the duty of scale payment sub-postmasters at country offices to provide out of their gross emoluments for the facing up, date stamping, and tieing up in bundles of letters posted at the sub-office and despatched thence in sealed bags; whether the remuneration per bag despatched at offices where the average number of letters per bag is very high is greater than at offices where the average number of letters per bag despatched is very low; and at whose expense the string used in tying up the bundles is provided?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELIt is the duty of the sub-postmasters in question to provide for the items of work referred to in cases where sealed bags are made up. The remuneration of sub-postmasters is based upon the recommendations of the Parliamentary Committee, and includes credit in respect of sealed bags calculated on the number of bags dealt with and not on the number of letters in each bag; but additional credit and remuneration are given to sub-postmasters who sort the correspondence into divisions. The string is provided by the sub-postmasters.