§ The EARL of ST. GERMANSdrew the attention of the House to the debate that had already taken place upon the subject of Post-office appointments. With reference to the clerks in the Money Order department of the Post Office, there appeared to be an impression that the condition of the probationary department was better than he had represented it to be. The fact was, that until recently no clerk in the probationary class, however long his services, could receive more than 70l. a year. By a recent regulation 10l. a year additional might be added after five years service, but beyond that there could be no augmentation. The other point he would advert to, had reference to the appointment of Mr. Farmer, from Edinburgh, to the head clerkship of the Money Order Office. From what the noble Marquess had stated on a former occasion, it would be inferred that the other clerks in that office had been passed over on account of incompetence. That, however, could hardly be the case, since it had been represented to him that the vacant situation had been offered to three of the senior clerks in that office, if they would consent to retract certain statements in a memorial to which they had attached their names.
The MARQUESS of CLANRICARDEobserved, that the noble Earl was correct as to his first observation. The new rule only came into operation in June last. He did not mean to infer by anything that be had said or done, that the clerks alluded to 959 were incompetent to the discharge of the duty of the office in question. With respect to the offer of the place made to these parties, he would only say that no offer had ever been made with his sanction to an appointment with any conditions whatever. The noble Earl might depend upon it that the statement to which he had alluded was utterly without foundation. He also did not believe, for one moment, that Mr. Rowland Hill would ever permit such an offer to be made. As for the complaint about the removal of Mr. Farmer from Edinburgh to London, it should be recollected that only a few years ago he had been sent by the preceding Postmaster General to Edinburgh to be placed over the clerks at that place. He did not consider, for one moment, that the removal of Mr. Farmer from Edinburgh to London was in any way a degradation or reflection on the other clerks in the Money Order Office.
§ The EARL of ST. GERMANSread an extract from a petition which had been presented to the House of Commons by these clerks, stating that such a conditional offer had been made.
§ House adjourned till To-morrow.