§ MR. HARRINGTON (Dublin, Harbour)I beg to ask the Postmaster General, in view of the fact that an Order restricting the hours of work of labourers in the employment of the General Post Office to eight hours per day was made on the 26th July, 1892, will he explain why a certain number of labourers employed at the General Post Office, Dublin, were obliged to work ten hours per day up to 31st January last; and whether they have been offered any compensation for the overtime in which they were so employed from July to January, and, if so, how much?
§ MR. A. MORLEYI am not aware of any general Order under date of 26th July, 1892, such as that referred to. It has been the policy of the Department to adjust the work of porters and labourers so as to bring the official attendance to about eight hours per day. This has been done because it was found that some 1509 were working more and some less. In London the necessary investigations were completed and brought into effect at varying dates in 1892, some at the close of the year. In Dublin the investigation was completed and carried out on 31st January, 1893. I am not prepared to make the dates of all those changes other than the date when the changes commenced, or admit any claim for compensation. The adoption of such a principle would necessitate the postponement of arrangements in favour of the staff until the entire machinery had been investigated and decided on.