§ Mr. BARNESasked the Minister of Munitions if his attention has been called to the discharge by Colonel Brindley of certain engineers at the Rees Roturba Company's works, Ponders End, for losing 355W time on Tuesday in Easter week; are the tribunals open to adjudicate upon such cases; whether he has considered the advisability of having engineers unemployed at a time when their work is in such demand for our fighting forces in the field; and will he call for a report on the matter and take steps to see that there is no recurrence of such flouting of the authority set up to deal with such cases in the district?
§ Dr. ADDISONAbout 400 men were discharged by the Bees Roturba Company for failing to report for work on the Tuesday in Easter week. A special appeal had been made to them to resume work on Tuesday, and a notice had been posted to the effect that anyone who failed to report would be discharged unless he had valid reasons for absence. Of the 400 men discharged 150 were subsequently reinstated and compensated by the company of their own accord. A number of other cases were brought before the local munitions tribunal, and compensation was awarded. The decision of the local munitions tribunal was upheld upon an appeal being lodged. The matter has accordingly been dealt with by the duly constituted authorities.