§ Mr. DOUGLAS HALLasked the Postmaster-General if he will say what proportion of the vacancies on the sorting staff of the General Post Office it is proposed in future to allot to boy messengers; and what proportion of the vacancies on the sorting staff has for the last five years been allotted to ex-soldiers and ex-sailors?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELBroadly speaking, two-thirds of the vacancies for male sorters will in future be allotted for competition among boy messengers and 11 one-third for competition among postmen and porters. The postmen and porter classes are now recruited half from ex-soldiers and ex-sailors, and though no proportion of sorter vacancies is allotted to these men they have equal chances with the postmen and porters otherwise recruited of obtaining the appointments as sorters not reserved for boy messengers.
§ Colonel YATEMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he will not reconsider that decision as to one-half to boy messengers and one-half to ex-soldiers and ex-sailors?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELIt is not a question of one-half for ex-soldiers or ex-sailors. It would be a question of one-half for the postmen and porters who may or may not be ex-soldiers or ex-sailors. That decision has been arrived at after very careful consideration, and I see no reason for altering it.