§ SIR GEORGE BOWYERasked, When the Report of the Post Office Committee would be laid on the table, to which he had called attention last Session? On the last week of the past Session the Chancellor of the Exchequer told him that the Report would be presented during the 486 Session, but that it would be necessary for the Government to have some time to consider it before it was laid on the table. As the Government had had considerable time since to consider the Report, he trusted it would be laid before Parliament; because it was important, owing to the disorganization and discontent which existed in that department of the public service, that the views of the Government should be generally known.
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERsaid, as his hon. Friend had not apprised him beforehand that he would put the question, he was not in a position to give him information; nor was he aware that precise information could be given with respect to the dissensions at the Post Office. But, as far as his personal knowledge went, he would acquaint the hon. Gentleman of the matter he was desirous of knowing. The hon. Gentleman had not accurately stated the reply he had given him last Session. The reason why the Report had not been laid on the table was that the Government required time for considering particular recommendations; but it happened that the Committee had made their Report in the absence of Sir Rowland Hill, the chief working officer of the establishment, who had been the life and mainspring of it for many years past. This having been so it became the duty of the Government, when the Report was made to bring it under the notice of Sir Rowland Hill; and, from the state of his health, it was necessary for him to have time to institute the proper investigation. However, he presented, his views upon the Report in the form of a minute a considerable time ago to the Postmaster-General. He could not state the date of that minute, but it was some weeks ago. The minute itself, entering deeply and comprehensively into the consideration of the subject, raised a desire on the part of some gentlemen who had been members of the Committee, or the Committee at large, to sustain their own statements upon certain points where it appeared they had been impugned. He had not heard whether the gentlemen had sent in their supplementary statement; and until this was done it could not be said that the official document had been brought to a conclusion.