§ SIR C. CAMERON (Glasgow, College)I beg to ask the Postmaster General whether his attention has been called to a, Circular Letter addressed by the Duke of Hamilton's agent to a number of his Arran tenantry on whom eviction notices were recently served requiring them to sign an agreement, copies of which have been sent to the postmasters of Brodrick, Lamlash, Corrie, Whiting Bay, and Lochranza, who, according to the Circular, have kindly agreed to show the Draft Agreement to tenants who will call on them; whether he is aware that the Agreement is one binding the tenants to give up their holdings or any part of them whenever required to do so on receiving one month's notice, with compensation for crops and unexhausted manures only; whether there is any defect in the postal arrangements of Arran which would prevent copies of the 530 Draft Agreement which they are required to sign from being posted direct to the tenants concerned; and whether the postmasters in question have the sanction of his Department in agreeing to act as intermediaries between landlord and tenant in the communicating of this Draft Agreement?
§ THE POSTMASTER GENERAL (Mr. A. MORLEY,) Nottingham, E.I am unable to discover that, so far as the Post Office is concerned, any irregularity has been committed in this instance. The keepers of the post houses appear to have been asked, and the request, as I understand, was made of them in their private rather than their official capacity, not indeed to act as intermediary between landlord and tenant, but to let the blank form of Agreement lie at their houses as convenient centres at which the tenantry might have an opportuity of inspecting it. The postal arrangements in Arran are not defective. Indeed, each tenant received by post a letter informing him that the form of Agreement was to be seen at the post house. Thus, the Post Office was not deprived of its dues, as no higher postage would have been payable had the form itself been enclosed. As regards the terms of the Agreement, my hon. Friend will see, I am sure, that this is a matter with which, as Postmaster General, I am not concerned.