§ MR. GIBSONsaid, he wished to put a Question to the Postmaster General with reference to an answer given last night by the noble Lord the Secretary of State for India. The noble Lord stated that the Correspondence relating to Candahar was in an incomplete form, and—
The more so, as by some accident or over sight a great part of the despatches which ought to have been received by the last two mails had not reached the India Office.He wished to know, Whether the Postmaster General had received any communication from the India Office with reference to the "accident or oversight?"
§ MR. FAWCETT, in reply, said, that, as far as he had been able to ascertain, nothing had happened in the Post Office to account for the non-arrival of the despatches referred to if they had been posted. He had received no communication on the subject from the India Office.
THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTONsaid, it would have been more convenient if the right hon. and learned Gentleman had given Notice of the Question he had addressed to his right hon. Friend the Postmaster General. He did not wish it to be understood 1662 from his answer on Monday that the despatches had been mis-sent, or had failed to be delivered by the Post Office He presumed that the despatches had not arrived in this country because they had not been sent.
§ MR. GIBSONasked, whether the noble Lord had telegraphed to ask the Government of India if they had posted the despatches?
THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTONsaid, he had telegraphed yesterday to inquire what had taken place; but no reply had yet been received. If the right hon. and learned Gentleman gave him Notice, he might be able on some future day to tell him what had occurred.