§ MR. KENDAL O'BRIEN (Tipperary, Mid.)To ask the Postmaster-General if he will explain why payment of £24 claimed byMR. Acres, late postmaster, Roscrea, county Tipperary, for structural alterations made by him in the post office there, is refused, whilst he was paid £46 for fittings for said post office supplied at the same time; whether he is aware that these structural alterations include the letter receiver and certain woodwork inside the office; that the Department offered MR. Acres 2s. per month as long as they required the use of the property, and refused to allow MR. Acres in January, 1903, to remove this property; and whether, seeing that they are still in use in the post office, will payment of MR. Acres' claim of £24 be made j to him.
1190 (Answered by Lord Stanley.)The office fittings were bought by the Department because they can be removed elsewhere, or disposed of when no longer required where they are. With regard to structural alterations the case is different. The premises, including the letter box, woodwork, and other fixtures referred to, were taken as they now stand by the present postmaster, who refused to allow the removal of the fixtures; and the rent includes interest on the amount expended on structural alterations. The precise amount included in the rent for this purpose is 2s. per month; but I understand that MR. Acres refused to accept this portion of the rent.