§ MR. FIRTHasked the Postmaster General, Whether his attention has been called to the fact that the Dead Letter Office had recently sent to the offices of the Municipal Reform League more than 750 letters, containing forged tickets for the Municipal Reform Meeting at St. James's Hall, and which had been addressed to the defunct Conservative Associations, Liverymen, and City Guilds, and persons connected with the City of London; and, whether he could give facilities for discovering the authors of this attempt to interfere with the free right of public meeting?
SIR TREVOR LAWRENCEasked whether the Postmaster General, at the same time, would inform the House as to the accuracy of the statement made by the hon. Gentleman the Member for Chelsea (Mr. Firth) on the platform at that meeting, that these letters were sent round by the Corporation of the City of London?
§ MR. FAWCETTMy attention was not directed to this subject until I received a letter from my hon. Friend. I can only say that it really seems to me that the Post Office has nothing whatever to do with the matter. Our duty is, when letters are sent to the Dead Letter Office, to try to return them to those by whom they have been sent, and it is not a part of our duty to find out if the letters are forged or not. In reply to the hon. Baronet, I can only say that I do not think it any part of my duty to inquire into the accuracy of statements made on public platforms.