Holiday Time.

While London railwaymen, in common with the workers at other points on the Home railways, are busily engaged in preparing for the summer rush of passenger traffic, they are also not unmindful that compensation for this extra effort lies in the fact that May marks the commencement of the railwayman's annual vacation, as well as that of the general public.

In arranging the Home railwaymen's holidays, the system employed is to spread the leave out evenly from May to September. The majority of uniform workers enjoy one week's holiday each year, and the clerical and supervisory forces two or three weeks' vacation without loss of pay. The dates of individual holidays are arranged by ballot as a rule, and relief men are employed to take the place of signalmen, shunters and other traffic employees.

Free and reduced travel is enjoyed by almost every grade of Home railway worker. Officials page 13 carry all-line free passes available for use at any time. Clerks, inspectors, draughtsmen, stationmasters, yardmasters, traffic foremen and similar skilled employees, are granted something like ten free tickets each year over their own line, and two free tickets over foreign systems. Workers holding less responsible positions are usually allowed about half a dozen free passes over their own line and two free passes over other systems. Each pass includes the employee's wife and children, if desired; and by all grades privilege tickets, providing for travel at half the ordinary single fare for the double journey, are obtainable at any time.