HC Deb 01 July 1913 vol 54 cc1682-3W
Mr. KING

asked the Postmaster-General whether a general rule exists in the Post Office service which prohibits the appointment of the son of a postmaster to his father's post office; whether in the Yeovil office a son of the postmaster was employed for two and a-half years, during which period he did not rotate on the ordinary cycle of duties; whether a second son has now been installed for a period of six months; and whether he will take steps to prevent preferential treatment being introduced at the expense of the remainder of the staff employed at that office?

Mr. HERBERT SAMUEL

It is the general rule that no established male officer should be employed at an office where he would be under the supervision of a relative. One son of the postmaster of Yeovil was employed at that office for 2½ years in an unestablished capacity. His prolonged employment was due to certain changes in the telegraph arrangements at that office. He has now been appointed to the establishment at another office. The second son, who is an established officer, has been temporarily transferred to Yeovil for a few months on account of his health. He takes his share of the duties allotted to junior sorting clerks and telegraphists and is not treated preferentially either as regards his hours of duty or in any other way.

(1) Number of persons (male and female) engaged in Agriculture in Great Britain, as returned at each Census, 1871 to 1901.
—— 1871.* 1881. 1891. 1901.
England and Wales … … 1,456,971 1,352,389 1,284,981 1,192,167
Scotland … … 254,842 240,131 213,060 204,183
Great Britain … … 1,711,813 1,592,520 1,498,041 1,396,350
* The figures include "retired."

NOTE.—The above figures include all persons included in the Census group "Agriculture," except female relatives of farmers engaged in work on the farm and fanners' sons under fifteen years old; the occupation "domestic gardener" is included throughout, to obtain comparability.

(2) Number of Male Shepherds and Farm Labourers* in Great Britain, as returned at each Census, 1871 to 1901.
—— 1871.† 1881. 1891. 1901.
England and Wales … … 922,054 830,452 756,557 609,105
Scotland … … 119,391 102,075 95,470 83,411
Great Britain … … 1,041,445 932,527 852,027 692,546
* The figures include "Retired." †Excluding sons and other relatives of farmers, bailiffs, and grieves.

NOTE.—In 1901 some wage-earning labourers were returned as "foremen," and are not included in the above table.

(3) Acreage of Arable Land, Wheat, and Permanent Grass in England, Wales, and Scotland in 1871, 1881, 1891, 1901, and 1911.
Year. England. Wales. Scotland.
Year. Arabic Land. Wheat Permanent Grass. Arable Land. Wheat. Permanent Grass. Arable Land. Wheat. Permanent Grass.
Acres. Acres. Acres. Acres. Acres. Acres. Acres. Acres. Acres.
1871 13,835,827 3,312,550 9,881,833 1,110,352 126,334 1,494,465 3,456,946 133,010 1,059,144
1881 13,008,112 2,641,045 11,655,825 969,550 90,026 1,815,413 3,590,453 74,738 1,172,159
1891 12,028,226 2,192,393 13,085,117 875,359 61,590 2,012,432 3,581,079 53,294 1,336,301
1901 11,236,592 1,617,721 13,457,660 881,697 47,019 1,941,365 3,471,907 36,225 1,428,224
1911 10,574,932 1,804,045 13,903,494 724,288 38,487 2,046,109 3,348,568 63,506 1,497,267