MR. PHILIPPS (Lanark, Mid.)I beg to ask the Postmaster General if he can explain why at the Glasgow Post Office the 1s. allowed for refreshments at Christmas, and formerly paid to the men in cash, was last Christmas paid in 4d. refreshment tickets available only at the Post Office "Dining Club," and on what grounds about 150 men who declined to accept the allowance, because paid in this way, were deprived of the allowance altogether; whether he is aware that the Glasgow Postmaster is one of the proprietors of this club, and that the supplies for the club are obtained from a farm belonging to the Postmaster; and whether he will now undertake to pay the 1s. allowance to those men who were de prived of it at Christmas?
§ * MR. RAIKESI find that at Christmas of 1887 and 1888 the Postmaster of Glasgow, instead of distributing to the staff refreshments to a value not exceeding 1s. a head as authorised, gave to each member money to procure his own refreshment. This was contrary to regulation, and last Christmas the authorised practice of distributing refreshments gratuitously was reverted to. The Postmaster has, I understand, taken great personal interest in the management of the post office refreshment room, and mainly through his exertions it has become a complete success, and given much satisfaction to the staff. He assures me that he has no pecuniary interest in it, direct or indirect. May I venture to suggest to the hon. Member that before putting a question of such stupendous interest it might be well to ascertain a little more carefully how far the serious imputations conveyed by it have any relation to fact?