The Sun.
London, England, 1860-10-20 00:00:00

IRE AU.AILIABI' LETTER CARRIERS.

It will be within the recollection of the public
that a short time ago a deputatfion, composed of
what are called, in Post office phraseology,
" auxiliary letter carriers," warted upon Sir It.
Carden, at the Mansion House, !ior the purpose of
bringing to his notice, and that 'of the public, what
assumed to be, and, from the facts, undoubtedly
was, a gross breach of faith on the part of the
Post-office authorities towards them.

It seemed from what was stated that a great
number of young men who were employed in
different country districts as auxiliary letter car-
riers, for which they received 10s. per week in con-
nexion with their own occupations, were brought
to Loudon upon the understanding that they were
to be employed at the General Post-office as sorters,
and to do other business, for which they were to
receive 15s. per 'week. For this miserable stipend
they were expected to be at the General Post-office
at six o'clock in the morning, and to work for three
hours, and they had then to recommence at four
p.m. and continue till eight, but the inducement
was held out t o them that they should eventually
receive permanent engagements, which would en-

title thein to :about a guinea a week. Upon the
faith of these representations, it appeared that a
number of young men broke up their little estab-
lishments, came up to London, and went on for a
considerable t ime performing the laborious duties
required of them, in the hope that they should
shortly receive a permanent engagement, and the
complaint they made to the worthy alderman
was that, without, any notice, they were informed
that instead of being paid 16s. a week, they would
in future only receive 10s. A great many of them
were married men. They felt that it was impossible
to subsist upon this miserable allowance ; and, as
the only remedy that appeared open to them, they
resolved upon coming to this court, in order that
their grievances might be brought before the public.
Sir It. W. Carden, who happened to be the presid-
ing magistrate upon the occasion, listened atten-
tively to the statement that was made to him by
the applicants; and, although he had no power to
interfere in any manner judicially, he stated that
he felt the interests of the public were to a consi-
derable extent involved in the matter, and he di-
rected that a communication should be made to the
Post Office authorities, calling their attention to
the complaint that had been made, and thus afford-
ing them an opportunity of giving any explanation,
or of contradicting the statements that had been
made if they were in a condition to do so. In con-
sequence of this communication some of the superior
officials of the Post Office waited upon Sir Robert,
and he explained to them the nature of the state-
ment
that had been made, and at the same time
said that although, strictly speaking he had no
business to interfere, still, when a representation
of such a character was made by persons who,
although in a humble condition of life, were
undoubtedly men of unimpeachable character,
and whose services,, honestly performed, well
of great importance to the public, he felt
himself hardly justified in refusing to listen
to them, and thought the better course was to
endeavour to ascertain whether there was any
foundation for the complaint, or at all events not
to let the matter go forth to the public, without
affording an opprtunity for explanation or of con'
tradiction, if the facts would warrant such course.
The Post-office officials who attended in conse•
quence of this communication from the Court did
not attempt to deny any of the facts that had been
stated, and the bargain, as represented by the appli'
cants, was admitted. The only excuse or answer
that was set up was that a few of the men had
received permanent appointments and that pro'
bably some of the others would do the same in n
short time.
Sir It. Carden expressed an opinion that the rae%
had not been quite fairly dealt with, and at hio
suggestion they drew up a most respectful memo•
rial to the Postmaster-General, giving a detail o
the grievances of which they complained, and re-
questing him to interfere in their behalf.
The result has been one certainly not' looked for
by the public, and it does not appear to have been
attended by any benefit to the men them Selves. It
appears that for a considerable time no attention
whatever was paid to the memorial in question;
although it was worded in the most respectfin
manner, and did not contain a single expres-
sion that could have given offence. The first n°'
tification that was received by the memorialistO
was that a number of them were sent for to
the principal inspector's office, and an ender
your was made to discover who were the " ring'
leaders" or " spokesmen" upon the occasion of the
proceedings at this court, but finding that this io;
formation could not be obtained, the men were told
that by their insubordination they had rendereui
themselves liable to immediate dismissal. A feW°`
them were subsequently actually dismissed, and
among these it appears was one who stated that
he had to assist an aged mother in the country'
and that he could not do so upon the miserable pi
of 10s. per week, and as a further punishment sae'
ral of the men were placed at the bottom of the
1 list for promotion.