§ MR. CROMBIE (Kincardineshire)I beg to ask the Postmaster General whether he is aware that, while private employers of labour in Aberdeen have responded to the appeals made to them to allow their employees leave of absence for fourteen days in order to go to camp with the 1st Volunteer Battalion Gordon Highlanders, who have been selected to form part of the 34th Field Army Brigade, leave of absence to attend this camp has been refused to all volunteers in this corps employed in the General Post Office in Aberdeen; and whether, as the latter form an important part of the corps, he will grant them the leave of absence required.
§ THE POSTMASTER-GENERAL (Mr. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAIN,) Worcestershire, E.I have no in ormation upon this subject and no complaint has reached me from the staff in regard to it; but I will make enquiry into the facts. I am anxious to afford all the facilities in my
† See page 246.‡ See (4) Debates, cxxiv., 1346.695 power to volunteers in the Postal Telegraph Service to go into camp, and instructions were issued in May last upon the subject; but the exigencies of the service sometimes render it impossible to give leave when required for this purpose, and the efficient discharge of the Department's duty to the public must be the first consideration.