§ MR. BIGGARasked the Postmaster General, If it is a fact that telegraph clerks removed from Belfast to Dublin since 1878 and 1879, and discharging night duty in that office, are given three weeks' annual leave, whereas some of their brethren in the Belfast Office, discharging precisely similar duties, are only accorded a fortnight's leave in the year; will he be good enough to explain the cause of this marked distinction in treatment of clerks in these offices in respect of annual leave; will he be 1978 good enough to take such steps as will extend to those in Belfast, who do not now enjoy the privileges accorded to their brethren in Dublin and other large offices in respect of leave; and, does the term "future entrants" mean clerks newly appointed to Belfast since 1879, or those who held appointments, but were only removed to Belfast from provincial offices since that year?
§ MR. FAWCETTIn reply to the hon. Member, I have to state that in the case of telegraphists the rules with regard to annual leave are uniform throughout Ireland. A telegraphist at Dublin, therefore, should have no longer leave than one at Belfast discharging the same duties and to the same extent, and I am not aware that any difference is made. As stated in reply to a former Question put by the hon. Member on the same subject, the exceptional privileges which some of the Belfast telegraphists now enjoy in the matter of leave will not be extended to new entrants, by which term is meant all persons joining the Belfast Post Office since 1879, whether they have come from other offices or not.