§ SIR J. BLUNDELL MAPLE (Camberwell, Dulwich)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, whether the half-holiday is granted to clerks in the Post Office on every Saturday throughout the year; whether the Order in Council of 21st March 1890 precludes the extension of this privilege to other Government Offices; and, whether the Lords of the Treasury will consider the advisability of so modifying the Order in Council as to place all departments of the Civil Service on an equality with the Post Office in this respect?
§ THE SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Sir JOHN HIBBERT,) OldhamThe provisions of the Order in Council are precise and are applicable to all departments equally. They contemplate one half-holiday each alternate week, but they do not forbid the head of a department, in his discretion, to allow an occasional half-holiday if the state of the work at the time makes it possible without detriment to the service. As to the extent to which this discretionary power is exercised in the Post Office, I must refer my hon. Friend to the Postmaster General. The Treasury has no intention of modifying the terms of the Order relating to the grant of half-holidays.