§ LORD RANDOLPH CHURCHILLasked the Secretary of State for War, Whether, since 1878, the Secretary of State for War has received several petitions from the Lower Division Clerks of the War Office on the subject of holidays and sick leave; and, whether, having regard to the statement made by the Secretary to the Treasury in this House, on the 2nd August, 1883, that the question of holidays is one to be decided by the Head of each Department, it is the intention of the Secretary of State to accede to the prayer of his petitioners by extending their ordinary leave to the period allowed to Lower 32 Division Clerks at the Admiralty, and by placing them, as regards sick leave, on the same footing as Higher Division Clerks and established Messengers, and by authorizing arrangements whereby as many clerks as possible should be granted the privilege of the half-holiday on Saturday?
THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTONYes, Sir; several such Petitions have been received. The question of clerks' leave is one which, as stated in the Question, has been arranged depart-mentally; but it raises some points of rather wider application, and I am in communication with the Treasury on the subject.