§ MR. STEADMAN (Tower Hamlets, Stepney)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster-General, if he is aware that different surveyors and postmasters place different interpretations upon the instructions issued in February, and supplemented by further order in April, on the question of special leave without deduction from wages to the extent of three days in any one year; and if he will 771 cause fresh and more explicit instructions to be issued, and make them known to the staff through the weekly official circular.
§ MR. HANBURYThe instruction referred to must be that issued in April, 1891. It allows special leave with full pay up to a maximum of three days "in case of death or urgent distress at home, or other exceptional circumstances," and leaves the number of days up to three to be fixed at the discretion of the postmaster. No case in which misunderstanding has arisen has been reported to the Postmaster-General. If the hon. Member can inform me of any case I will cause inquiry to be made.