§ MR. STOCK (Liverpool, Walton)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster-General, whether at the post office at the Liverpool Exchange six telegraphists who are engaged upon counter duties each perform twenty-six weeks of split duties annually; and, whether, in view of the condemnation of these duties by the Tweedmouth 478 Committee, the practice will be discontinued at this office.
§ MR. HANBURYAt the Liverpool Exchange office ten sorting clerks and telegraphists are employed upon a split duty in alternate weeks. In May last they were given the option of returning to the head office, but only four out of the ten availed themselves of the offer, and the vacancies they created were readily filled by other officers. The Tweedmouth Committee recommended that where split duties are found to be necessary in the interests of the service they should be so arranged that the officers performing them should enjoy during each twenty-four hours nine clear unbroken hours at home. In the present instance the split duties are necessary in the interest of the service, and the officers performing them enjoy during each twenty-four hours upwards of twelve hours' continuous rest, and have an unbroken eight hours' duty every alternate week. It has been found practicable to arrange that during the summer months the ten officers shall be employed on a split duty only once in four or five weeks instead of in alternate weeks.