We have had an unpleasant little Post Office emeute this
week. The Savings-Bank Department asked for volunteers among the second-class clerks for extra work last Friday, and the second-class clerks, holding that it was optional for them to refuse, declined to attend beyond the usual seven hours. When it was found that volunteers were not forthcoming, and that the extra work could not be got through, the clerks who had declined to volunteer were suspended, and the suspension has lasted through the week. On Thursday, however, they withdrew their refusal, and apologised, the other permanent departments evidently disapproving the attitude they had taken up. And Mr. Raikes has accepted the apology, though some sort of penalty is apparently to be in- flicted. The excuse of the clerks was that Mr. Raikes had in the House of Commons denied that extra hours were ever corn- pulsory. Mr. Raikes now explains that he meant by "com- pulsory," exacted without extra pay. That is not quite the natural meaning of " compulsory," and we think Mr. Raikes should have been more cautious in his House of Commons reply. But it is obvious that no department can go on without spurts' of extra work (properly paid for) in times of extra pressure.
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