§ MR. GIBSON, who had given Notice of the following Question:—
To ask the Postmaster General, if it is a fact that the Post Office Department has recently given a large contract for the supply of English post cards in Germany?intimated that in consequence of the Postmaster General's letter, which had appeared in the morning papers, he would not put the Question.
§ MR. COLERIDGE KENNARD, who had on the Paper the following Question:—
To ask the Postmaster General, whether he will inform the House as to the name of the German firm with whom Her Majesty's Government have contracted for the supply of the postal cards hitherto manufactured by British traders; and if he will name the various firms who competed for the Governmental order?asked permission to substitute a Question to the effect—Were they to conclude from the Postmaster General's letter that the opinion of the Government was that British workmen were not damaged, but positively benefited, by the purchase of commodities abroad?
§ MR. SPEAKERThat is a Question entirely of an argumentative character, and is, therefore, irregular.