§ MR. LOUGHI beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether he is aware that the Parliamentary Return relating to the wages of sorting clerks and telegraphists, issued in 1898, shows that telegraph clerks are allowed half-hour's relief on a continuous duty of eight hours; and whether in future the right can be extended to counter men and telegraphists in the metropolitan districts who are on duty from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. or 3 p.m. to 11 p.m.?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (for Mr. HANBURY)The answer to the first paragraph of the honourable Member's Question is in the affirmative. As to the second part, speaking generally, the counter clerks and telegraphists in the metropolitan districts who are on duty from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. or 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. also enjoy the privilege of half an hour's relief; but in some cases where there are frequent intervals of the duty during which the staff is unemployed, no fixed time has been arranged, for it was found that the relief obtainable was adequate.