§ Mr. STEADMANasked the Postmaster-General if he will state on what ground a number of men employed at the Mount Pleasant factory are only working half time, while a number of others have been put off, when a considerable amount of work of a similar character to that which is made at the factory is being given to outside contractors; and whether he is aware that the statement made by him that work would be found for a definite number of men at the factories, which number would be considered to be the minimum number of men employed at the same factories, is not being complied with, and that the number now employed is considerably below the accepted estimate?
§ Mr. BUXTONThe only men who have recently been put off are four french polishers, and one of these has been given temporary employment in another capacity. Eleven men and youths only have been put on half-time, and I hope that in a few days they will be on full-time again. I do my best to keep employment at the factories as steady as possible, but fluc- 995W tuations of work in a particular shop cannot, unfortunately, be altogether avoided, especially when, as in the two cases in question, the diminution in the particular work was due to a specified falling-off in the demand for certain descriptions of work.