§ Viscount Sandonpresented a Petition from Mr. Johnstone, who had filled the office of engineer at the Holyhead Post-office station, and who had been dismissed from it by the Post-office authorities. The petitioner prayed for a proper inquiry into his case, and complained that he had been dismissed without due investigation. The noble Lord said, that the petitioner had been dismissed on the representation of the agent on the station, Captain Goddard, 1031 who was himself convicted by the Sub-commissioners of Post-office Inquiry of irregularity and neglect, and who was himself afterwards dismissed from his situation. He certainly thought, that before the petitioner was convicted of fraud and dismissed from his situation, his case should have been submitted to a more competent tribunal than that of the agent. At this late period of the Session, he (Lord Sandon) could not follow up the prayer of the petitioner by moving for an inquiry.
§ Mr. Laboucheredefended the course pursued towards the petitioner, who had no just grounds of complaint. The Report, which had been laid on the table from the Post-office Commission, disclosed an organised system of plunder, which required the most exemplary punishment of the offending parties. When the Sub-commissioners commenced their investigation at Holyhead, they required the attendance of Mr. Johnstone, who filled the office of resident engineer, and who had a large quantity of public stores in his charge. After his first examination, other individuals were called, whose statements were so completely at variance with his, that they had him recalled, with a view to enable him to explain and to reconcile some discrepancies in his accounts, instead of which Mr. Johnstone thought proper to refuse giving any information on these points, and they, therefore, felt it their duty to report. that circumstance to the Commissioners in London, and Mr. Johnstone was ordered to be suspended. In the meantime the examination proceeded, and the Sub-commissioners found such a ground of malversation against Mr. Johnstone and the Storekeeper-general, that they deemed it advisable to have an Admiralty agent sent down, and he came to the conclusion, that there was fraud in the conduct of Johnstone, and he was again called on to explain and reconcile the differences, which not being able to do, he was dismissed altogether from the public service. Although the Post-office agreed in the proceedings of the Sub-commissioners, yet so anxious were they to do that which was right, that they directed two gentlemen to look into the whole matter, and to ascertain whether these things could be the result of negligence or fraud; and, after the most searching inquiry, they came to the conclusion, that there was both fraud and negligence in 1032 the conduct of the petitioner. He did not see, after these several investigations, how that House could entertain the subject. There was no reason whatever to doubt the Report of the Sub-commissioners. If it could be ascertained that there was any doubt of the culpability of the individual, he would have had the benefit of it. Under these circumstances, he (Mr. Labouchere) thought, it would be injudicious of the House to interfere with any department in the dismissal and punishment of an officer found offending.
§ Lord Sandonthought, that the case had never been properly investigated.
§ Petition to lie on the table.