§ SIR EDWARD REEDI beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether he is aware that certain telegraph clerks of Cardiff, who were interrogated as to certain newspaper letters, and called upon to find out who had written them, were, failing to do this, summarily ordered away, at a few hours' notice, to other towns as a punishment; whether his attention has been called to a speech of the Postmaster General, reported in the newspapers of 14th February, in which he said that—
If his conduct in connection with this matter was questioned in Parliament, he should be quite prepared to justify it:and whether, in view of these facts, he will afford facilities for this subject, which is greatly disturbing the members of the Telegraph Service throughout the country, being brought promptly under the consideration of the House of Commons?
§ MR. W. H, SMITHI am informed by my right hon. Friend the Postmaster General that the question of the hon. Member does not accurately represent the facts of the case; but I would suggest that there will be a better opportunity of raising the question when the Telegraph Vote comes up for consideration, and I do not think the delay will injuriously affect the Telegraph Service.