The Sun.
London, England, 1847-03-15 00:00:00

LONDON DISTRICT LETTER

CARRIERS.

A numerous meeting of the London district letter-carriers
took place last evening at the Pied Horse, Chiswell- street, for
the purpose of hearing a communication from Mr. Rowland
Hill relative to their salaries, &c., and to consider the pro-
priety of laying their claims before the Lords of the Treasury.
In the London District Post-office the number of letter-
' carriers (including 60 supernumeraries) is 903; the wages
of the supernumeraries are 19s. per week; those of the
regular letter-carriers 20s. a week, which, after a servitude
of 15 or 16 years, is increased to 255., and there is no rise
above this sum. In the General Post-office they enter at
235. a week, and after a time rise to 255., which is again
Increased to 30s. The object of the district letter-carriers is
to obtain the same rate of wages as the general post car-
riers for their duty of 22 deliveries and 9 collections a
week. The general postmen have but six deliveries a week,
with the exception of the junior carriers, and no collections.
The district letter-carriers walk from twenty to twenty-five
a day in the performance of their official duties alone. Mr.
John Richmond, a letter-carrier of fourteen years' standing.
presided at the meeting last evening, and stated the object
for which his brother officers had been called together. Mr.
F. W. Clifton, the secretary, a carrier of sixteen years' stand-
ing, explained how their grievances had been pointed out to
Mr. Rowland Hill, who had said that he considered the
district letter-carriers insufficiently paid. The deputations
appointed to confer with Mr. 11111 had expressed to him
he willingness of the carriers to work hard, at the same
time they wished for better pay. The condition and priva-
tions endured by the body generally were fully laid before
Mr. Hill, who thought their case was a very hard one, and
assured them it should be inquired into and remedied. The
chairman stated that he had been before Mr. Smith, the
superintending president of the London district carriers, upon
the subject, whom he had told that the only object for their
calling meetings of their body was to obtain better wages
for their work, and he had also told him that he did not
think the district carriers would be satisfied until they ob-
tained the same scale es the general post carriers. Mr.
Smith's advice was, that they should accept what was now
offered—that is, an increase of 2s. on the seniors' salary,
and is. on that of the juniors, for the present, and wait
until the contemplated arrangements should be carried into
operation.—(Disapprobation.) Ultimately, a resolution to
the following effect was unanimously agreed to :—" That
the meeting was of opinion that the time had arrived for
the London district letter-carriers immediately to lay their
grievances before the Lords of the Treasury by memorial.
and that a deputation of twelve of their body, with the
attendance and assistance of two or more Members of the
House of Commons, should wait upon their Lordships, pray-
ing them to take their case into their serious consideration,
and grant them a scale of salary increasing according to
years of service, as recommended by the Commissioners of
Revenue Inquiry in their eighteenth report. Also com-
pensation for their loss of extra-duty money, the General Post
letter-carriers being now in the receipt of the same for their
official losses. They trusted that their Lordships would not
lose sight of the facts that, while the General Pest super-
numerary letter-carrier commenced his duties at a salary of
235., the London district letter-carrier began with 19s a week
only, with the disadvantage of having frequently to try to
maintain two houses, in consequence of his liability to be
sent to numerous places within 12 or 13 miles of London,
to do duty at various times, which was not the case with the
former; and 140 seniors only were receiving 255. per week,
out of nearly 900 men, the remainder at 20s. per week only.
Great numbers of the seniors and juniors performing 22
deliveries per man, and nine collections for those respective
salaries, whilst many of the General Post letter-carriers
were now in the receipt of 235., 255., and 30s. per week,
for six deliveries per man ; and some of the latter, in re-
ceipt of 255. per week, were only about four years in the
service, none of whom performed more than two deliveries
in the day, and the evening sorting duty, but no collection.
At the same time many of the senior London district letter-
carriers had been in the service 30 years, and some 40 vearf."
Sevcral.very able speeches followed this resolution, descrip-
tive of the hardships and privations endured by the letter-
carriers in consequence of their small pay, but the proceed-
ings throughout were conducted with order and regularity,
nor was there the slightest improper ebullition of feeling.
Thanks having been given to the chairman and committee
for their services in support of the claims of their body, the
meeting broke up at a late hour.