§ MR. JACKSON (Leeds, N.)I beg to ask the Postmaster General if his attention has been called to a letter and article in The Yorkshire Post of 17th February, in which it is stated that a large number of persons have lost the whole of their savings by the failure of the House and the Liberator Building Society; that many of these poor people were induced by the postmaster of Thirsk to take their savings out of the Post Office Savings Bank and invest in the Societies names; whether he is aware that a circular headed "Notice to Investors" was issued by the postmaster at Thirsk, and dated from the post office there, in which, describing himself as postmaster, he recommends the House and Land Investment Trust, Limited, London, and the Liberator Building Society as the best and safest home investments for either large or small sums at 5 or 6 per cent.; and adds that he has been appointed agent for these Societies, with which he has been connected for many years, and which he can therefore confidently recommend to investors; whether it is consistent with the duty of postmasters to act as agents on commission for other Societies competing with the Post Office Savings Banks; whether postmasters are authorised to use the address of the post office, and, describing themselves as postmasters, issue circulars recommending societies, such as the Liberator Building Society, as "the best and safest home investments"; and whether it is true as stated that a large number of Post Office Savings Banks are used as offices and as agents for Building and other Investment Societies; if so, does he propose to take any action in the matter?
§ THE POSTMASTER GENERAL (Mr. A. MORLEY, Nottingham, E.)I have seen the letter and article to which the right hon. Gentleman refers; and as the result of such inquiries as I have been able to make, I am informed that the statements made in the first two paragraphs of the question are substantially correct. The postmaster admits having issued advertisements setting forth the advantages of the Societies in question, and giving the post office as his address, but pleads that what 161 he did was done openly and in good faith, and that he himself and near relatives had invested in the said Societies, and are likely to be losers to the extent of £1,200. In regard to postmasters holding agencies— of course, I refer to those postmasters only who have other business, and whose whole time is not given to their official duties—the general principle laid down for their guidance is that no postmaster shall perform for others any business similar to that which he is required to perform for the Department, and particular classes of business have from time to time been specified, engagement in which would infringe this principle. No order, however, as far as I can ascertain, has yet been issued to postmasters forbidding their connection with Building Societies, possibly because such Societies, having for their chief object the acquisition of leasehold or freehold property by their members, have not been regarded as coming into competition with the Post Office Savings Bank. In regard to the general question of postmasters using the address of the post office, and issuing circulars on other than Post Office business in which they announce themselves as postmasters, it must be borne in mind that to a large number of postmasters the Post Office business is not their sole or even their principal employment, and it might be difficult, if not harsh, to require this class of postmasters to suppress their official title and address in transacting other than Post Office business, provided, of course, it is a legitimate business and does not trench on the business proper to the Post Office. I am not able at present to state whether any considerable number of postmasters are agents for Building or other Investment Societies, but inquiry shall be made, and the whole subject, which is one of great importance, shall receive my most careful attention.
§ MR. JACKSONAs the right hon. Gentleman is good enough to say he will make inquiries as to the number of postmasters acting as agents for Building and other Investment Societies, will he give us the information in the form of a Return?
§ MR. A. MORLEYIf the right hon. Gentleman will move for a Return I will consider it.