§ MR. JOHN BURNSI beg to ask the Postmaster General whether, in 1505 the distribution of the extra work that occurs in his Department during the Christmas and New Year pressure, he will, wherever possible, give preference in such work to those who are at present without any employment.
§ MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINArrangements for meeting this extra pressure of work have already been completed, but the hon. Gentleman will be glad to know that since, generally speaking, the whole time of the additional men engaged is required, they are necessarily selected from those without other employment. I may add that, other things being equal, preference is given to ex-soldiers and Army reservists out of work.