§ MR. LEAMYasked the Postmaster General, Whether the office of Postmaster at Milford, county Cork, was recently held by Mr. Mathew Murphy, millowner and shopkeeper, at present imprisoned under the Coercion Act, and that since his arrest, which occurred about six months ago, and up to the 29th of last month, the office has been under the charge of his sister, Miss Murphy; whether, on the 29th of last month, Miss Murphy was informed that she could not be allowed to continue to conduct the office, as she was not a householder, and that since that date there has been no post office at Milford; whether Miss Murphy conducted the post office to the satisfaction of the authorities; whether the real reason for refusing to allow her to continue to conduct it is the imprisonment of her brother on suspicion; and, whether he approves of the course taken by the local postal authorities in the matter?
§ MR. FAWCETTSir, in reply to the hon. Member, I have to state that Miss Murphy cannot be appointed to the post office at Milford because she does not fulfil the necessary condition of being a householder. The reason why the office has been closed is that no one who is eligible is willing to take it. If Miss Murphy can qualify herself by becoming a householder, I shall be willing to appoint her, and to continue her in the office, so long as she conducts the office properly.