HC Deb 22 November 1926 vol 200 cc31-2
42. Mr. W. BAKER

asked the Postmaster-General whether his attention has been called to the trial of an auxiliary postman, 59 years of age, which took place at the Old Bailey on the 10th November, when it was stated that this employé was in receipt of wages amounting to £1 15s. 7d. and that his total income from other sources did not exceed 4s. per week; whether he is aware that the Recorder asked the counsel for the Post Office whether anything could be done with regard to these auxiliary postmen, seeing that case after case had to be tried as each session occurred; that whilst the Recorder held that the Post Office could not afford to give more than a proper salary he agreed that the man's income was not sufficient to enable him to maintain his family; and whether he will carefully examine the whole position with regard to auxiliary postmen to see whether he can ensure that the work and the wages offered to individual employés are sufficient to guarantee a reasonable standard for the men and their families?

The ASSISTANT POSTMASTER-GENERAL (Viscount Wolmer)

I am aware of the facts of the case referred to by the hon. Member. The man concerned was employed by the Post Office for 32 hours a week in the early morning and evening, and was paid at the standard hourly rate, his weekly remuneration being 37s. When first appointed as auxiliary postman in 1921, he stated that he had outside employ- ment in addition. For many years past the Post Office has aimed at employing full-time labour and reducing part-time labour to a minimum; but owing to the incidence of the work there is no alternative but to employ a certain amount of part-time force on postmen's duties. The Post Office pay of auxiliary postmen is not intended to constitute the sole means of livelihood, and it is the aim to restrict employment as auxiliary postmen to ex-service pensioners or persons who have some other sources of income; but it is difficult at the present time to enforce this condition stringently, particularly in the case of a man who loses his outside employment after he has been engaged by the Post Office.