HC Deb 17 August 1911 vol 29 c2239W
Mr. FIELD

also asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that during the week ending the 29th ultimo the Controller of Telegraphs at Dublin timed with a watch whilst standing behind the operators at certain circuits their rate of sending and the rate at which the operator at the distant office was sending; whether he is aware that this officer disregarded the standard of working laid down by the Tweedmouth Commission for duplex and simplex circuits, and that the Department abolished the message test for the technical allowance on the ground of its unreliability; whether he is further aware that the Controller's presence under such conditions has made officers so nervous that they asked to be removed from the circuits so supervised; and whether he will see that such a system of supervision is discontinued and that public telegrams are not subjected to error by undue pressure being placed on the operators?

Mr. HERBERT SAMUEL

I am aware of the circumstances of the case. It is the duty of supervising officers to examine the sending and receiving of all telegraphists under their control in the interests both of the service and of individual operators. The Tweedmouth Committee laid down no standard of working for duplex or simplex circuits, but the hon. Member is right in saying that the message test for the technical allowance was discontinued some years ago. I find that one officer asked to be removed from the circuits under observation.