§ MR. DUNCAN SCHWANN (Cheshire, Hyde)To ask the Postmaster-General whether, seeing that on 1st March, 1901, it was officially stated that exceptions to the regulations prohibiting the relatives of supervising officials receiving appointment at the same office were only made owing to the absence of any suitable person in the office, and that no mention 463 was made of the sex of the officials, and in view of the fact that females are exempt from the operation of the rule, he will state the reason for compelling a female telegraphist at Brighton to remove to Worthing, owing to her father being an overseer in the Brighton postal department; and whether he will consider her repeated applications to return to her home, in view of his recent decision.
(Answered by Mr. Sydney Buxton.) The officer referred to was transferred from Brighton in 1900 under the regulations then in force. These regulations have since been modified, but the modification has not been applied retrospectively, and no opportunity has yet occurred of re-transferring the officer in question to Brighton. Her case is being borne in mind, and her transfer will be arranged as soon as an opportunity occurs of doing so without injustice to others.