§ MR. BELL (Derby)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, with reference to the new contract being entered into or already concluded between the Post Office and the Railway Companies for the conveyance of His Majesty's mails, whether such contract provides that for the future, in the event of accidents occurring by which Post Office servants are injured, the entire responsibility of compensating such servants shall rest with the Post Office: and, if so, will such arrangement be binding without the consent of the officers concerned being first obtained.
§ MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINThere is no general contract with railway companies collectively for the conveyance of mails. The Postmaster General enters into a contract with each of the principal companies as occasion requires, but no alteration such as the hon. Member seems to have in view in the practice of compensating Post Office servants injured on the railway is contemplated.