asked the Postmaster-General if his attention has been called to the case of T. C. Church, of Mitcham, who recently passed an examination qualifying for the post of a sorter, and has been refused appointment on the ground that he is half an inch under standard height; whether he is aware that his height did not preclude his serving in the great War, and that he has for some time past acted as temporary postman and sorter; and whether he will reconsider the case?

The Regulations respecting the competitions for appointment as sorter, which were brought to Mr. Church's notice when he applied for permission to enter for the competition, distinctly state that the candidate must be of the prescribed height of 5 feet 4 inches, and that the fact that an under-height candidate is nominated inadvertently to take part in a competition gives him no claim to a waiving of the Regulations. In view of the size of the sorting frames, it is necessary that the height Regulations should be maintained, and I am sorry that I am unable to make an exception in Mr. Church's favour.

Does not the hon. Gentleman think the time has now arrived when this very unfair Regulation might be withdrawn?

No, Sir, because the sorting frames are all constructed on the hypothesis that the sorters are of a certain height, and we must draw the line somewhere.

Surely in view of the fact that the gentleman to whom I have referred in my question has been sorting for some considerable time, the difficulty in this case might have been overcome by providing him with a half-inch board?

I am afraid we could not do that.

Has the Noble Lord no discretion as to modifying these Regulations?

Yes, Sir. But if we reduce the height by half-an-inch, people who were thereby shut out would immediately ask for the height to be further reduced, and, as I say, we have got to draw the line somewhere.

In view of the well-known success which attended the formation of bantam regiments in the War, will my Noble Friend consider the formation of a bantam force in this case?

I am afraid there is no analogy between bantam regiments and sorting in the Post Office.

If the same test were applied to Members on the Treasury Bench, should we not lose a great many valuable Ministers?