32. Viscountess ASTORasked the Postmaster-General whether he has been approached by representatives of the postal workers with a view to securing a weekly half-holiday; whether the matter is under consideration; and whether, in view of the fact that other Departments of State grant weekly half-holidays to their employés, he will consider securing postal workers a similar privilege?
§ Sir W. MITCHELL-THOMSONI am not aware of any recent general representations. This subject 'has, however, been considered on many occasions, and was last examined by a Committee of the Post Office Whitley Council in 1922. The special requirements of Post Office work make it impracticable to arrange a general weekly half-holiday for postal, telegraph, and telephone manipulative staff on the lines normally followed in other Government Departments.
Viscountess ASTORCan the Minister not give a half-holiday on lines that are not normal possibly[...] It does seem rather hard that these should be the only people in the Government service who do not get the half-holiday[...] Could not the right hon. Gentleman use his very inventive brain to find some other way of doing this?
§ Sir W. MITCHELL-THOMSONThere is considerable difficulty in doing that without jeopardising the general interests of the public service.