§ 86. Mr. ROBERT YOUNGasked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that the postmaster of the South Frederick Street Post Office, South Shields, is employing two clerks on post office work whose wages are 14s. and 10s., respectively; whether these payments are in return for a full week of eight hours 38 per day; and whether, seeing that the minimum paid to shop assistants in this thoroughfare is 28s. per week, he will issue instructions for a general inquiry as to the wages paid by his sub-postmasters?
§ Mr. ILLINGWORTHI am making inquiry into this case, and will communicate with the hon. Member.
§ 87. Mr. R. YOUNGasked the Post master-General whether the postmaster of the Gloddaeth Street Post Office, Llandudno, agreed in October last to raise the wages of his assistants to 30s. per week plus £2 war bonus monthly, 20s. per week plus 24s. war bonus monthly, 17s. per week plus 20s. war bonus monthly, respectively; whether, despite this undertaking, the amounts which are being paid are 40s., 26s. and 22s. per week; and whether he will instruct his subordinate to pay the agreed rates?
§ Mr. ILLINGWORTHIn reply to a question on the 13th November last, I informed the hon. Member that the weekly wages of these assistants, including an amount in respect of war bonus, were 40s., 26s., and 22s., respectively. The hon. Member then requested that the bonus should be paid weekly; and I do not understand why he now proposes monthly payments, which would in fact give the assistants slightly less in the aggregate than they are getting now.