§ Mr. GERALD HURSTasked the Postmaster-General why the agreement made in 1910 between his Department and the London Postal Superintending Officers' Association as to filling alternate vacancies for clerkships in the Post Office by absorbing the then redundant clerks in the district postmasters' office has not been carried out; and when the clerks treated as redundant in March, 1910, will finally be absorbed?
§ Sir W. MITCHELL-THOMSONThe arrangement to which my hon. and learned Friend refers was the result of a departmental decision, and not of an agreement with the staff. It provided for the gradual transfer of certain posts in the London district post offices from the clerical to the superintending staff by the transfer of a post on the occurrence of each alternate vacancy amongst those members of the clerical staff by whom the posts were occupied at the time or those members who might replace 827W them. The arrangement has been, and is being observed, and only five members of the clerical staff now remain to be absorbed; but I regret that I am unable to furnish an estimate of the date by which the transfer will be completed.