§ MR. HAY (Shoreditch, Hoxton)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether telegraphists in the employ of the Post Office are to be granted a day's leave on 24th May, in common with the rest of civil servants; and whether, as telegraph offices cannot be closed, some 973 arrangements will be made so that those operators who are compelled to remain on duty on the day in question may be compensated by receiving a day in lieu during the forthcoming summer.
§ The following questions also appeared on the Paper on the same subject:—
§ SIR FRANCIS EVANS (Maidstone)To ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether he can explain why postal telegraph clerks are not to receive the day's leave granted to all Government servants on 24th May, 1901, by the King; and whether the Postmaster General will direct that all operators shall receive a day's leave of absence, either on 24th May or on some subsequent day during the summer of 1901.
§ CAPTAIN NORTONTo ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether, in view of the King's Decree that 24th May is to be observed as a holiday in all public offices, post office servants who are required to attend on that day will be given a day in lieu thereof, instead of receiving payment as was the case on National Mourning Day.
§ MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINOnly those officers of the department will enjoy the privilege of a holiday on the 24th instant who can be spared from their duties without inconvenience to the public service. It has never been possible to grant this privilege to the telegraphists and other members of the operative staff, whose attendance is required on the day in question; nor has it been customary to give them another day's holiday in lieu, and it is not intended to make any change on this occasion.