§ MR. BIGGARasked the Postmaster General, If it is true that there are a number of telegraph clerks in the Belfast office with from nine to twelve years' service, performing night and Sunday duty, who are only allowed two weeks' annual leave, while others in the same office with only six or eight years' service, performing exactly similar duties, are granted an annual leave of three weeks; if this be so, why is this distinction made between members of the same staff of the Belfast office; and will he have the anomaly removed; and, if it is not also a fact that clerks in the Dublin office, with similar service and performing precisely the same duties, are allowed three weeks' leave in the year?
§ MR. FAWCETTI stated, in reply to a Question put to me last year, that the telegraph clerks at Belfast had been found to be enjoying exceptional indulgence in the matter of annual leave of absence, and this indulgence, while continued to those who already enjoyed it, was not to be extended to others. The officers referred to as having only a fortnight in the course of the year, though of longer service than some who have three weeks, have entered the Belfast office since the difference between that 22 office and others has been discovered. As regards Dublin, I may state that some time since it was decided that future entrants into that office would be allowed only the same period of annual leave as the staff at Belfast.