§ Mr. COOPERasked the Postmaster-General whether the postman employed on the duties of a sorting clerk and telegraphist at Walsall was substituted by a boy messenger, whose duties were in turn covered by a lad employed temporarily, and that the duty is now being covered by an assistant postman at 17s. per week; and whether this particular devolution does not, prevent casual labour, but allows the Post Office to get such labour at the cheapest possible rate?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELThe duties of the postman substituting the sorting clerk and telegraphist are being performed by an assistant postman at wages of 18s. a week, the age-pay to which he is entitled. The latter's duty is being provided for by the employment of a temporary substitute, who receives the wages proper to the assistant postman's duty. This process of devolution obviates the necessity for employing casual labour on the more important duties of sorting clerks and telegraphists. I find that for one week it was necessary, owing to exceptional pressure, to employ a boy messenger on a postman's duty, and a temporary substitute was employed during that week on the boy messenger's work. The boy messenger is seventeen years of age and is being retained with a view to permanent employment as a postman.