MR. GORSTasked the Secretary to the Admiralty, Whether the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty will, this year, observe the bank holidays in Her Majesty's Dockyards?
§ MR. TREVELYANThe workmen in the Dockyards have holidays on Good Friday, Christmas Day, the Queen's Birthday, and Coronation Day. Some of these are enjoyed by no other workmen in the Kingdom, and they are paid for these holidays just as if they were at work. They likewise work considerably shorter hours than in private yards. They get a half-holiday after each annual visitation of the Board of Admiralty, and a half-holiday occasionally when a large ship is launched in the middle of the day, for which they receive wages. Under these circumstances, it would not be fair to the taxpayer to add the Bank holidays to the list. Each holiday would be equivalent to making a present to the men of£4,000, besides the much more serious question of the delay of the all-important national work on which they are engaged.
§ SIR H. DRUMMOND WOLFFinquired whether a holiday would be given 19 to the Dockyard workmen to attend the Volunteer Review?
§ MR. TREVELYANArrangements will be made to enable the usual Dockyard workmen to attend the Review, and they will make up the time on other days.
§ MR. TREVELYANTwo of the holidays which I mentioned are Coronation Day and the Queen's Birthday. If there were a general wish in the Dockyards to exchange these two days for the Bank holidays, Her Majesty's Government would consider it; but Her Majesty's pleasure would have to be specially taken.