§ MR. DELANY (Queen's County, Ossory)To ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that in the Board of Works, Dublin, messengers are deputed to mark the officials late in the attendance book by the instructions of the Secretary, and that they avail of the opportunity thus given to them to show their resentment to members of the staff, who have had frequently to complain of their lack of respect; can he say if this is another scheme of the Secretary to inflict as much indignity as possible on the staff; and will he see that this practice is discontinued.
§ (Answered by Mr. Runciman.) I am informed that for the last forty years it has been the duty of the head messenger to indicate in the attendance book all cases of clerks being more than fifteen minutes late in arrival. The Board of Works have received no complaint of any lack of respect on the part of the head messenger towards a member or members of the staff, and know of no foundation for the hon. Member's statement. Of course there is no justification whatever for the charge made against the Secretary.