Mr. JOHN HOPEasked the Postmaster-General whether a supervising allowance, held for nearly ten years by the senior sorting clerk and telegraphist at the Dunbar post office, was, without any complaint as to the manner in which that officer's duties were performed, withdrawn from her in March last; whether the reason given for that withdrawal was that a male officer was required; whether, although the senior male sorting clerk and telegraphist at the office had considerable experience of head-office working, a junior officer possessing no knowledge of head-office working was transferred thither from a sub-office in another district and given the said allowance; whether, in order to find room on the Dunbar staff for the transferee mentioned, a junior officer then on that staff was offered transfer to another office and informed that unless he accepted that offer the question of transferring him compulsorily would have to be considered; and, if so, what action he proposes to take to compensate the Dunbar postal staff for the supervising allowance position of which they have been deprived?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELThe officer in receipt of the supervising allowance asked to be relieved of the duties for which the allowance was paid. Her request was granted. It was considered advisable to allot the supervising duties to a man, and as no man at Dunbar was qualified for the duties it was necessary to transfer a suitable sorting clerk and telegraphist from another office. The claims of the local staff were fully considered before this transfer was carried out, and no compensation is due to them.