HC Deb 08 March 1869 vol 194 cc832-3
MR. O'REILLY

said, he would beg to ask the Post Master General, Whether, previous to the late Election for the city of Dublin, any—and, if any, which—of the Candidates for that city canvassed, with the consent and permission of the Post Office Authorities in Dublin, the officials of that department in the public offices, and during office hours; and, if so, whether such Candidate or Candidates were accompanied in their canvass by any official of the department; and, if the preceding Question be answered in the affirmative, what official is responsible for what has occurred; and, to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, whether any—and, if any, which—of the same Candidates visited the Custom House in Dublin during business hours, and there canvassed the persons employed in the Civil Service; and, if so, whether he was accompanied by any of the superior officials, or whether such canvass was conducted in those public offices in the presence of the superior officials?

MR. AYRTON

said, that in the absence of his noble Friend, the Postmaster General, he would give his hon. Friend an explanation, and the best way to do that would be to read an exact statement of what had occurred, which the Government had received from the authorities in Dublin. It was as follows:— Previous to the late election for the City of Dublin, one of the candidates for that city did, with the consent of the Post Office authorities in Dublin, canvass the officials of that department in the public offices and during the office hours. The particular candidate who did so was Sir Arthur Guinness, and he was accompanied in his canvass by an official of the department, and the official who is responsible for what occurred on that occasion is the Secretary to the Post Office in Ireland. So soon as this came to the ears of the then Postmaster General, the Duke of Montrose, he at once expressed his disapprobation at the proceeding, and caused a general circular to be issued throughout the United Kingdom, warning officers of the department against allowing canvassing to take place in the Post Office buildings. With reference to what had occurred in the Custom House, he had received the following statement:— Sir Arthur Guinness and Mr. Plunkett, with the private secretary of the former gentleman, called at my office previous to the election to request my vote, and Sir Arthur asked if I had any objection to his requesting other officers for their Votes, and if I would introduce him to them. I replied that he was at liberty to request the vote of any officer, but I declined to introduce him or in any way interfere with the free exercise of the votes of the officers under me. My attention having been called a day or two afterwards to a paragraph in a local newspaper to the effect that the officers had been canvassed in the Custom House and in the Post Office during business hours, attended by a superior officer, I made inquiries so far as my department was concerned, when I learnt that Sir Arthur Guinness had, accompanied only by his private secretary, asked the votes of four clerks at their respective desks in the Long Room, and that of the surveyor in his office, which did not occupy more than a few minutes. From my inquiries now I believe this is the extent of the canvass referred to as having occurred in the Custom House, and I am satisfied that none of the superior officers accompanied any candidate in canvassing the officers, or in any way influenced the free exercise of their votes. I have, also, no reason to suppose that the restrictions conveyed in the General Order 107, 1868, have been in any way neglected by the officers. That was signed by Mr. Trevor, collector.