§ MR. SLOANI beg to ask the Postmaster General whether he is aware that, when assistance was required recently in the offices of the Superintending Engineer, Postal Telegraphs, Belfast, it was obtained from Mullingar and Ballina staffs, and that the applications of Belfast telegraphists possessing the necessary qualifications were refused on the grounds of pressure of work in the commercial branch; and whether, seeing that season substitutes were dismissed for lack of work, he will explain why the applications of the local staff were refused.
§ THE POSTMASTER GENERAL (Mr. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAIN,) Worcestershire, E.I find, on inquiry, that telegraphists possessing the necessary qualifications could not be spared from the Belfast Post Office to assist in the office of the superintending engineer during the recent season. I ought, perhaps, to add that the local staff have no claim to a monopoly of this work to the exclusion of all other Post Office servants.