§ MR. THOMAS O'DONNELLI beg to ask the Postmaster-General whether the postmasters in Ireland are asked to exhibit in a prominent place cards inviting Irishmen to emigrate to Canada; if so, will he state when this practice was initiated; and whether, considering the national desire which exists in Ireland to do everything to check emigration, steps will be taken to have those cards taken down from Irish post offices.
§ MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINI can add nothing to the information I gave in reply to the hon. Member's, similar Question on Monday last. †
§ MR. THOMAS O'DONNELLI am afraid the right hon. Gentleman has not fully understood my Question. It is—Will he take down these cards in the Irish post offices only?
§ MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINThat is the Question I answered last Monday. I said that they were exhibited in all offices throughout the United Kingdom, and had been so since 1848. I saw no reason to change the practice.
§ MR. THOMAS O'DONNELLBut have cards asking Irishmen to emigrate been exhibited since 1848? I am told not.
§ MR. LOUGHConsidering the exceptional circumstances of Ireland with regard to the loss of population, could not an exception be made in the case of that country?
§ MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINSince 1848 it has been the practice in all
† See (4) Debates, cxxiv., 1411.161 offices throughout the United Kingdom to exhibit papers giving information likely to be of use to people wishing to emigrate. That has been done in regard to Canada since 1869. The Post Office does not advise people to emigrate, and I do not see why it should withhold information of this kind from those to whom it may be of use.
§ MR. THOMAS O'DONNELLAnd since 1848, 4,000,000 of the Irish people have emigrated.
§ MR. SPEAKEROrder! order. The Question on the Paper has been fully answered.
§ MR. THOMAS O'DONNELLBut not satisfactorily.