§ MR. CAREW (Kildare, N.)asked the Postmaster General, Why clerks employed at the Central Telegraph Office, when absent from duty owing to illness, incur a deduction of one-third from their pay; whether no deduction was made previous to the date of the transfer of the telegraphs to the Government in 1870; whether the present deduction is only made from the salaries of the main body of the staff, the higher paid administrative officers retaining full pay; and, whether he will restore the earlier Rule, and so place them on a footing of equality with other Civil servants?
§ THE POSTMASTER GENERAL (Mr. RAIKES) (Cambridge University)Where large bodies of persons are concerned, it is found to be necessary, as a matter of administration, that some deduction from their pay should be made during absence from illness in order to check absence on false or insufficient pleas. This has not been considered necessary where the more highly paid administrative officers are concerned. Prior to the acquisition of the telegraphs by the State, I understand that some of the Companies allowed full pay during absence from illness and that others did not. On the whole, the Companies' Rules on the point were less favourable than those of the Post Office.