§ Mr. CAIRNSasked the Secretary of State for War whether the Postmaster-General has made a request to the War Office for the employment of Royal Engineer telegraphists upon purely civilian work during Henley week; whether he is aware that the Postmaster-General has been unable to obtain the usual volunteers from among the civilian telegraphists owing to the inadequate subsistence rate which was offered; and whether he will give a definite assurance that the military forces of the Crown shall not be used on civilian work to the detriment of the trade union claims of organised civilian labour?
Captain GUESTI am informed that there is no trace of any such request having been received at the War Office. The second part of the question is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Postmaster-General. The answer to the last part of the question is in the affirmative.