§ MR. PIRIE (Aberdeen, N.)To ask the Postmaster-General whether the Postal Telegraph Clerks' Association expressed the wish of its members that paragraph 281 of the Hobhouse Committee's Report, relating to the weekly half-holiday, should not be enforced; if he consented to defer to the wishes of the staff in this respect; whether at Aberdeen a new system has been introduced against the desires of the staff and in spite of its strong protests; and, if so, if he will state the reasons for enforcing the innovation at this office.
(Answered by Mr. Sydney Buxton.) Representations wore made to me on this subject, and I gave them my fullest consideration. Wherever practicable I am desirous of meeting the wishes of the staff in the matter of the Saturday half-holiday, but attendances must of course coincide with the incidence of the work. This is what has lately been done at Aberdeen.