MR. PATRICK O'BRIEN (Kilkenny)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, if his attention has been directed to the fact that an officer on the establishment of the Clones Post Office, who was absent on sick leave from the 24th to the 31st December, 1901, has had his application for payment of the medical expenses incurred refused; and seeing that, at the time of his illness, this officer was entitled to free medical attendance, as the number of officers on the establishment justified the appointment of a medical officer, and that, in consequence of representations, an official medical attendant has since been granted, will the Postmaster General grant payment of the expenses incurred for which application has been repeatedly made.
§ THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Mr. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAIN, Worcestershire, E.)The privilege of free medical attendance to Post Office servants is granted only at offices at which the Department has an appointed medical officer. The sick absence of Mr. Wilson, the officer referred to in the Hon. Member's Question, occurred in December, 1900, and not 1901. At the former date there was no medical officer appointed at Clones and Mr. Wilson was not entitled to free medical attendance. His medical expenses cannot therefore be paid by the Department.