§ MR. WOODS (Essex, Walthamstow)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether his attention has been called to a memorial, dated 16th February, 1900, and signed by Messrs. Lickford, Ray, Nevill, and Smith, officially docketed Mem. 1/6/288, in which it was intimated to these officers that the Postmaster General declined to receive them on the grounds that they did not appear to be directly interested in the matter on which they desired to be recived as a deputation; whether the Postmaster General was aware that these officers are now in the service, and were representatives of the Sorters' Trade Union (the Fawcett Association), duly elected for the purpose of the interview in question; and whether such refusal is not at variance with the assurance given by the Postmaster General in the official document known as Registered No. 234,768/99, which states that in future he would receive delegates of Postal Trade Unions, provided they were in the service of the Post Office.
§ MR. HANBURYThe course adopted was strictly in accordance with the recent assurance given by the Postmaster General. Deputations must consist only of those who are themselves affected by the question at issue.