§ MR. CHARLES ALLEN (Gloucestershire, Stroud)I beg to ask the Postmaster-General whether, in view of the convenience such a concession would be, especially in country districts, he will permit the exhibition of notices of Volunteer parades and other similar orders affecting Volunteers outside post offices in Great Britain.
§ THE POSTMASTER-GENERAL (Lord STANLEY,) Lancashire, WesthoughtonIn country districts the post office is, as a rule, provided by a shopkeeper and not by the Crown. In such cases I have no power to require the exhibition of notices of the kind suggested, but I should be prepared to consider any case in which the sub-postmaster is willing to exhibit them, provided that space necessary for departmental notices is not occupied. In regard to the comparatively few offices which are used solely for post office purposes, and are provided by the Department it has, on account of the demand for space, been found necessary to limit very strictly the exhibition of notices, and I regret, therefore, that I am unable to accede to the hon. Member's request. I understand, however, that these are not the cases in which the concession is required. I may add that I very much agree with the object of the hon. Member, and as far as possible I will endeavour to meet it.