THE WAGES OF POLICEMEN, . POSTMEN AND PORTERS
[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.]
Sra,—If your correspondent who disputes the statements in my article o " Tips " will refer to the Report of the Desborough Committee he will see that an initial wage of 70s. a week was recommended for the police. This has been enforced by the Home Office, I think, in every Police Force in the kingdom, and no reduction, other than an increase in the abatement for pension contribution (now, I think, five per cent.) has taken place. It must be remembered that 70s. is the initial salary, the bottom of the scale, and that, in addition to salary, there are certain allowances—boots,
clothes, lodgings, &c.
The' London postman starts at 89s. 7d. and proceeds to 78s. But there are allowances here also, and there are higher grades of Assistant Head Postman and Head Postman who get much more.
Extract from the Report of the General Meeting of the G.W.R., 25th February, 1925, 'page 18 :—
" The man tilling the land on one aide of the fence (in Berkshire] gets 30s. while our porter on the other side of it receives 47s., and in addition clothing as well as other privileges accorded to out employees."
- From 1926 G.W.R. Report (pages 7-8)
"Total railway wages increased from £47,000,000 in 1913 to £120,000,000 in 1924.'
I cannot find the 57s. wage reference at the moment, but it came from one of the Railway Reports.—! am, Sir. &c.,
ONE OF THE NEW POOR.
Previous page
