§ 18. Major Sir B. FALLEasked the Financial Secretary to the Admiralty if he is aware that the afternoon of 15th November was given as a paid holiday to the workers of His Majesty's dockyards, and that all men absent through sickness, injury, or leave of absence have to forfeit this payment; and if ho will remedy this?
§ Commander EYRES-MONSELLIn order to enable dockyard employés to record their votes without causing conges-lion at the polling booths in the evening, permission was given, in accordance with the usual practice adopted at General Elections, for the workpeople, actually working to be absent from work on the afternoon of the polling day, 15th November, without loss of wages. It was specifically laid down that the half-day was not to be regarded as a dockyard half-holiday, and the Admiralty cannot accept the contention that employés who would 679 not in any case have been at work in the afternoon should be paid for that afternoon.