§ Mr. WEDGWOODasked the Postmaster-General when the Burslem and Longton sub-offices were raised to the rank of branch offices, and why the change was made in respect of those townships and 688 not in the case of Tunstall; and whether, as a result of Tunstall being still a sub-office, the rate of pay for the indoor staff is less than the rate elsewhere in the borough of Stoke-on-Trent?
§ The POSTMASTER-GENERAL (Mr. Herbert Samuel)The post offices at Burslem and Longton were raised to the rank of Branch Offices in 1894 and 1893 respectively. The alterations were made for administrative reasons which did not exist in the case of Tunstall. The work done at Tunstall is very much less than at Burslem and Longton. As is usual in the case of salaried sub-offices, the rates of pay to the indoor staff at Tunstall are lower than those at the Head Office and the branch offices in the Stoke-on-Trent borough.
§ Mr. WEDGWOODIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that Tunstall, as well as Burslem and Longton, are all now part of the federated borough of Stoke-on-Trent, and as such they ought to be put on an equal footing, and does he not think the rates of pay in Tunstall should be the same as the rates in other parts of the federated borough?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELIt is not a question of the municipal area in which the post office is situated. It is the importance of the office on which the classification depends.
§ Mr. WEDGWOODIs not the rate of pay fixed by bearing in mind the cost of living as well as the units of work?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELBut the rates of pay are also fixed by bearing in mind the units of work as well as the cost of living. In the case of Tunstall the units of work are very much lower than in the other cases.