§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLI beg to ask the Vice-President of the Committee of Council on Education whether the Department of Science and Art has received a resolution of the Trustees of the National Library of Ireland, forwarded in December, 1897, with the urgent request that it should be laid before the Treasury, in which the trustees signified that an injustice amounting to a breach of contract is inflicted on the attendants in the National Library by reducing their hours of work from 69 to 60 per week, such reduction reducing their pay considerably, and whether certain of the library attendants have been strongly recommended for compensation; and what steps are to be taken with reference to the resolution of the Trustees of the National Library for Ireland?
§ THE VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL ON EDUCATION (Sir JOHN GORST,) Cambridge UniversityThe Resolution has been received, but has not yet been submitted to the Treasury, as further inquiries are being made. When these are complete the Committee of Council will communicate with the Treasury. I would point out that the reduction of hours does not come into force till the beginning of the next financial year.