§ MR. DEASYasked the Postmaster General, Whether, on 1st January last, Mr. Jacob Orr, the Postmaster of Dun-Cannon, county Tyrone, allowed Thomas Hodgett, one of his subordinates in the office, to be absent from his duty all that day in order to take part in an Orange demonstration; whether Hodgett on that morning carried an Orange flag in front of a procession through the streets of Dungannon, and accompanied the Orange expedition to Dromore; whether Mr. Orr obliged the telegraph messenger, whoso duty it was to remain constantly in the telegraph office, to discharge Hodgett's duty by carrying con- 1494 signments by parcel post to and from the railway station; and, what notice will be taken by the Department of the conduct of the Postmaster in this matter?
§ MR. FAWCETTIn reply to the hon. Member. I have to state that Hodgett the man employed by the Postmaster of Dungannon to deliver parcels, sought and obtained leave of absence for the 1st January. The Postmaster, however, was not only not aware for what purpose the leave was required, but afterwards, finding that Hodgett had been to Dromore. rebuked him for his indiscretion. Hodgett, I am assured, carried no flag and was not in the procession. He has since left the Service. On the 1st January the parcels were delivered by the Telegraph messenger.