118. Mr. BRIDGEMENasked if a notice, warning officers of the engineering staff that they must not enlist, has been issued to other employés of the Post Office besides the engineering staff at Colchester and Ipswich, and has prevented young men from enlisting who are engaged in work which could be easily performed by girls or older men; and, if so, whether this notice has been sent to all postal employés in the country?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEIn view of the extent to which the skilled staff of the Post Office has been reduced by causes connected with the War and the prospects of further withdrawals to meet the postal and telegraphic requirements of the New Armies, as well as for similar purposes essential to Home defence, I recently found it necessary to issue notices to the Post Office staff throughout the country reminding them of the regulation that no officer must enlist until he has first obtained official permission. Such permission is only withheld when refusal is imperative in the interests of the public service.
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANIs refusal imperative in cases of totally unskilled postal servants whose work could be done by old men and women?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEI am afraid that if the hon. Gentleman contended in regard to a postal staff that any member of that staff was unskilled, he would find himself in opposition to the opinion of the whole of the staff.