Mr. POINTERasked the Postmaster-General, whether the wife of a postal overseer is at present employed in the telegraph department at Sheffield on a wage of 25s. per week; whether other temporary female assistants are receiving only 21s. per week; whether a soldier is also temporarily employed, receiving 9s. 8d. from the Post Office per week; whether he will state why the overseer's wife is in receipt of higher wages than the other assistants; and whether no other persons more desirous and deserving of temporary employment were available?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELThe facts are correctly stated by the hon. Member. The overseer's wife was for five years an established sorting clerk and telegraphist and her longer experience and greater skill are considered to justify a higher wage than is paid to the other assistants. It is the case that no other persons more deserving of temporary employment were available. I may add that the soldier to whom the hon. Member refers is in receipt 245W of Army pay, and that the 9s. 8d. which he receives from the Post Office represents the difference between his Army pay and 26s. a week.