§ Mr. ESSLEMONTasked the Postmaster-General whether, having regard to the recommendations of the Hobhouse Committee that night duty attendances given by established officers of the Post Office should be shorter than those given during the day, and to the fact that the maximum pay of the night male telephone operators' class is higher than the maximum pay of the women telephonists' class, he will state the reasons for withholding extra duty payment from the women telephonists in Aberdeen who recently performed the duties proper to the night male operators, involving increased hours of attendance without the additional remuneration?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELI cannot add much to the full explanation of this case which I gave to the hon. Member on the 27th ultimo. The ratio established by the Hobhouse Committee between day and night periods of duty does not appear to me to be applicable to a case like this, in view of the different conditions under which night operating is performed, nor does the comparison between the maxima of unestablished male night operators and established female operators appear to be relevant.