The Express.
London, England, 1860-06-09 00:00:00

THE POST-OFFICE EMPLOYES.

Kr. BOWYER said the home was no doubt aware that
very great ind extensive disconteed existed at present in the
Post-Aloe. He was informed that a committee had been
appointed by that department itself for the pupae of in-
quiring into the grievances of the 'eremite of the estab-
lishment ; but owing to some difficulties as to the power
of the committee two of the members had resigned, and the
committee became for a time paralysed. He was told that
rime that time two gentlemen from the Treasury had been
added to the committee, which then resumed its labours ;
but some of the officials at the Post-office had no confidence
in the committee, and they declined going before it. Since
then a public meeting of the penman who complained of
grievances had been held, at which some strong language
was used, and he was informed that 44 persons who took
part in that meeting had been since sus eoded. lie wished
therefore to ask the Secretary to the Irmwry whether it
was true that those men had been suspended for exercising
the constitutional privilegeof meeting to petition that house,
and whether the government would take their case into
consideration.

—Mr. LAING was afraid be could hardly give the hon.
gentleman a specific answer, not having had notice of his
intention to put the qrstio. It was true, however, that
• committee of superior officers of the Poet-office was ap-
pointed some time ago, and some difficulty arose with
regard to the instructions given to the committee, and some
of them resigned. In that state of things, before Lord Elgin
left for China, the committee was reconstituted with full
power to make an accurate inquiry. One of the members
of the committee was Mr. Stephens, of the Treasury, a
gentleman who was well known to hon. members of that
hones who had sat upon oommittees. That committee had
been very actively engaged in their inquiry! and had taken
the pains to go totbe Post-office at 4 o'clock in the morning, in
order to see with their own eyes, and every opportunity had
been given to the men to state their grievances. He believed
it would be found not to be true that they had ro confi-
dence in the committee of superior officers. He could sn-
eerer for it that this commission would be a thoroughly
searching and impartial one. He thought the house mart
see that under these circumstances, where there
was a large number of men working together,
it was necessary that discipline should be enforced
(hear)—and if any of the men should hold public meetings
for the purpose of preventing their fellow workmen from
coming forward to state their grievances before the com-
mittee it might be necessary for the department to mark
their sense of that conduct by suspension. He was not
aware that that was done, but he thought it probable, if
the facts were as represented, such a course might
be necessary. He hoped, however, that the report of the
commission would be very shortly ready to be sub-
mitted to the house, and it would then be seen whether the
remedies which the government might think fit to adopt
would be sufficient to meet the grievances complained of
if not it would be open for any hon. member to move in the
matter. (Hear.)
The motion for adjournment to Monday was then
agreed to.