§ Mr. L. P. HAYDEN (Roscommon, S.)I beg to ask the Postmaster General if he is aware that the Postmaster of Mullingar has prevented the delivery of The Westmeath Examiner newspaper to members of the staff across the counter of Mullingar office so long as a certain episcopal prohibition remains in force. And, has he acted within his right in so doing; and, if so, is he entitled to permit the delivery of other newspapers across the counter, or will the same rule be applied to all newspapers?
§ THE POSTMASTER GENERAL (MR. ARNOLD MORLEY,) Nottingham, E.The facts appear to be as stated in the hon. Member's question. Complimentary copies of certain newspapers, of which The Westmeath Examiner is one, have for years past been supplied to members of the staff across the counter, and the local postmaster appears to have taken upon himself to stop the Examiner being so delivered on the plea of episcopal prohibition. Into the particulars of this prohibition it is of course no part of my duty to inquire, but I am clearly of opinion that the Postmaster should not have allowed his religious opinions to have influenced his official conduct, and that all of the papers should have been stopped or else none at all. I have given directions that The Westmeath Examiner is to continue to be received across the counter as heretofore.