HC Deb 28 July 1913 vol 56 cc34-5
38. Mr. GRETTON

asked the Postmaster-General if he satisfied himself by definite and conclusive evidence, before discharging Mr. Cardew from the Post Office, of that gentleman's inability to perform the duty proper to a first-grade clerk; if he was a well-conducted public servant of thirty years' service, who had passed all the prescribed tests and had been certified efficient for many years; if any misconduct was alleged; if Mr. Cardew was given any warning or opportunity of defence; and, if not, as Mr. Cardew's discharge means disgrace and ruin to that gentleman, if he will institute an inquiry into all the circumstances of his case?

The POSTMASTER-GENERAL (Mr. Herbert Samuel)

Before I agreed to proceed with Mr. Cardew's superannuation, I not only considered very fully the documentary evidence bearing on his case, but consulted personally all the heads of branches in the office of the secretary to the Post Office who had had experience of his work, and found an absolute unanimity of opinion to the effect that Mr. Cardew was unequal to the duties of his position. I did not, moreover, come to a final decision on the matter until Mr. Cardew had received ample opportunities, of which he fully availed himself, for appealing against compulsory superannuation. All the circumstances of Mr. Cardew's case have been most carefully investigated, and there is no room for further inquiry. Mr. Cardew, though he had been repeatedly passed over for promotion and was still in the bottom class of higher division clerks with men twenty years and more younger than himself, had been allowed to proceed to and remain at the maximum pay on that grade. His work had, however, as I informed the hon. Member for Dulwich on the 10th instant, attracted unfavourable notice as far back as 1893, and for some period previous to his discharge his services had been of little if any value to my Department. No charge of misconduct has been brought against Mr. Cardew, whose length of service at the date of his retirement was as stated in the question.