MR. MAC NEILL (Donegal, S.)I beg to ask the Postmaster General whether he will state the offence for which Mr. H. L. Quin, lately employed as a telegraph clerk at the Central Telegraph Office, was dismissed; whether Mr. Quin has hitherto had a blameless record for efficiency, good conduct, punctuality, and regular attendance; and whether there is any previous instance in this office of a clerk being dismissed for a first offence?
§ A LORD OF THE TREASURY (Sir H. MAXWELL, Wigton)Mr. Quin was dismissed for using the telegraph wires for private purposes to the hindrance of public messages. Neither was the object with which he used the wires calculated to bespeak a lenient view of his conduct. Having formed one of a deputation to his Controller, which pledged itself to a particular line of action, he had no sooner left the room than he proceeded to the telegraph wires and advocated another. Thus, persons at a distance were stirred up by him to adopt the very course which the deputation, of which, he was a member, had just assured the Department would not be adopted. For this act of duplicity, added to his infraction of a rule to which the Department attaches the highest importance that the public wires shall not be used for private purposes, there was in the Postmaster General's judgment only one suitable punishment, and that was dismissal. Mr. Quin's conduct inside the office had hitherto been good. There are many instances of clerks and others being dismissed for a first offence.
MR. MAC NEILLWas not this gentleman's real offence that he was Secretary to the Postal Clerks' Union?
§ SIR H. MAXWELLNo, Sir. His offence was aggravated by duplicity. He proposed as a member of a deputation to advocate one course and used the wires to urge the men to adopt another and illegal course.
MR. MAC NEILLThis is a serious question, affecting a man's livelihood. Will the hon. Member lay the Papers on the Table, and enable the House to judge of the matter.
§ SIR H. MAXWELLNo, Sir; I cannot do that.