§ MR. PINKERTON (for Mr. MCCARTAN)I beg to ask the Postmaster General whether he will give instructions that clerks in the Central Telegraph Office due to return from annual leave on Whit Monday, 6th June, shall be allowed to resume duty on Tuesday, 7th June, the Bank Holiday being added to their annual leave?
§ SIR J. FERGUSSONThe Central Telegraph Office is not closed on Whit Monday. All, therefore, that can be 1303 done is to let as many as possible be off duty on that day, and to give to those who are not off duty a holiday on some other day, or else double pay. The question who shall take Whit Monday as a holiday is determined by ballot, and the balloting takes place before they leave for their holidays. It follows, therefore, that to let those who are due to return on that day absent themselves until the day following would give them an undue advantage over others.