§ 7. Mr. RAFFANasked the Postmaster-General whether it is proposed to institute a new system at the Manchester telephone exchange known as the split duties system; whether he is aware that the result of its adoption would be that girl telephone operators would commence duty at 8 a.m. and, although at liberty for a rest period in the middle of the day, would not be released from duty till 9 p.m.; and, seeing that this would involve hardship to girl operators living at some distance from the exchange, who would require to leave home at an unreasonably early hour and would not be able to return till very late in the evening, whether he will see that no alteration will be made in the present system without further consideration?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEThere are no proposals in hand at present for altering the duties of telephonists at Manchester. A new scheme of duties for the supervising telephone staff at Manchester has been prepared, but its introduction has been postponed.