§ Mr. GANGEasked the Postmaster-General whether the men who were serving in K company of the Royal Engineers in August, 1914, were allowed to count 1093W their service with the Post Office for the purposes of pay and increment; whether, on mobilisation, K company ceased to exist and L company was created; whether the men concerned, having spent four or five years with the forces, are not being credited with this service; whether, as a result, their starting pay will be reduced by as much as 8s. per week; and whether, having regard to the services rendered by these men, their skill as telegraphists, and their dissatisfaction with the treatment that they have received which may lead them to throw up their Post Office appointments, he will endeavour to secure that the service with the forces shall be credited towards their yearly increments?
§ Mr. ILLINGWORTHService in K Company of the Royal Engineers is spent upon Post Office work, and is on this ground allowed to count for purposes of pay and increment should the men be subsequently appointed to the Post Office as telegraphists. On mobilisation the men in question were drafted into L Company,1094W and were no longer employed on Post Office work. As a result their Army service after the date of mobilisation is not proper to be taken into account for the purpose of fixing their starting pay on appointment to the Post Office.