§ 67. Colonel YATEasked the Postmaster-General whether it is really his intention to contravene the arrangement that 50 per cent. of the total appointments in the Post Office should be kept open for ex-soldiers and sailors and to introduce a new rule by which, as a permanent arrangement, only one-fourth of the places in connection with vacancies shall be found for ex-soldiers and sailors; and if so, on what grounds he justifies this treatment of the men who have responded to the national call in favour of those who have not?
The ASSISTANT POSTMASTER-GENERAL (Mr. Pike Pease)There is no intention of departing from the arrangement of assigning half the vacancies for postmen to ex-soldiers and sailors. At the present time the majority of the vacancies due to time-expired soldiers and sailors are being allowed to accumulate, so that they will be available at the end of the War, but instructions have been given that a number not exceeding one-fourth of such vacancies may be assigned at once to disabled men who have been discharged with satisfactory certificates.
§ Colonel YATEMay I take it that the speech of the Postmaster-General the other day was not correctly understood?
Mr. PIKE PEASEEvery effort will be made to give opportunities to ex-soldiers 1187 and sailors to obtain employment in the Post Office. I have had conversations on repeated occasions with my right hon. Friend on the subject and he is quite as anxious as the hon. and gallant Member opposite (Colonel Yate) to afford these facilities.