§ Mr. MAURICE HEALYasked the Postmaster-General whether the pledge given by him that the proportion of female labour to that of male in the employment of the Post Office would not be increased has been departed from in the case of the Cork telegraph staff; and, if so, will he say why this has been done?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELMy predecessor stated that it was not his intention substantially to vary the proportion of male as against female workers employed in the Post Office, but his statement, of course, had reference to the Post Office service as a whole. At individual offices the proportion of male as against female staff depends to a large extent upon local conditions, and in some measure must vary with them. The authorised staff for normal telegraph work at Cork was augmented in April last by two posts for women sorting clerks and telegraphists, while six appointments for men, formerly borne on the Cork establishment as part of a special reserve for relief at other offices, were allocated to ordinary duties in the Cork office.