§ 43. Mr. RENDALLasked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that the hours of sub-postmasters are as follows in many cases: on duty 5.25 a.m. to meet the early morning mail due 5.30 a.m.; off duty 5.40 to 6.20 a.m.; on duty 6.25 a.m. till 7 a.m. to receive and dispatch mails and postmen; from 7 a.m. off duty till the office opens to the public at 8 a.m. and on duty from that hour till 7 p.m.; after 7 p.m. a mail in and one out and accounts and telegrams to be checked and verified, with other duties occupying till 8.30 p.m. and in many offices till later; and that on Sundays the early morning mails are similar to week-days and usually the office is open to the public for an hour and often there is a mail out in the afternoon and also at night; whether under modern conditions the sub-postmaster has to pay much more for clerical assistance; whether under all these circumstances, and having regard to the fact that shop hours remain reduced as in war time, he will take steps to allow the sub-postmasters to open at 9 a.m. instead of at 8 a.m. as during war; and, if not, what financial increases will he afford them?
§ Mr. ILLINGWORTHAt country sub-offices the actual hours of duty outside the period during which counter work is performed necessarily vary according to the times at which mails are received and dispatched. As indicated in the answer to a question on the subject on the 7th instant, I am giving instructions that offices need not be opened before 9 a.m. where the district surveyor is satisfied that public inconvenience would not be occasioned thereby.