§ Mr. ROWLANDSasked whether, in the rearrangement of the Home district surveyorship, which includes Belvedere, Erith, and Welling, as the conditions are the same as London, it is intended to place them in the London postal area?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELThe Home surveyor's district was abolished on the 1st November, and the towns included in it were absorbed in the other provincial surveying districts. The sub-offices referred to are now in the South-eastern district. I can hold out no prospect of their inclusion in the London postal area.
§ Mr. ROWLANDSArising out of that answer, may I ask whether it is not a fact that the workpeople in these towns work at the same industries, and that the condition of life is the same as in the London district?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELIt is not the fact that the conditions are precisely the same as in the London district.
§ Major GASTRELLasked the Postmaster-General what is the number of established and unestablished postmen, established and unestablished postal clerks, employed within the London twelve-mile radius on the second, third, and fourth provincial scales of wages, respectively; and whether, in view of the increase in the cost of living, he will immediately place all postal servants employed within the London twelve-mile radius on the highest provincial scale of wages?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELThe twelve-mile radius does not correspond with any boundaries adopted for Post Office purposes, and the information asked for in the question cannot be supplied. Places beyond the London postal area were all classified on the principle recommended by the Parliamentary Committee, which reported in 1907, the volume of work being taken as the prime factor, and allowance being made where necessary for high cost 1009 of living. I am not in a position to adopt the suggestion in the last paragraph of the question.