HC Deb 09 March 1905 vol 142 c939
MR. BOLAND

I beg to ask the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that, in reply to an application from Mr. Thomas Murphy, asking of particulars of the errors which were alleged to be in Irish address of the letter written by him to a correspondent in Kilronan, Aran, the Post Office authorities refused to give the information; and whether, in view of the fact that the sub-postmaster of Kilronan could not read Irish, he will state who is responsible for the statement that the Irish address of the letter was incorrect, and will he state what the alleged errors were.

LORD STANLEY

The Postmaster of Galway reports that the address on the cover of the letter to which the hon. Member refers was considered by those competent to judge to be incorrect, both as regards spelling and in the formation of the Irish characters. As a knowledge of the Irish language is not at present made a condition of the Postmaster-General's appointment, and as I do not happen to know the language, I should be unable to explain the errors of the letter before me.

MR. BOLAND

Who is the official responsible for the statement that there were errors in the address?

LORD STANLEY

The Postmaster of Galway.

MR. BOLAND

Does he know Irish?

LORD STANLEY

He got information from who are competent to judge.

MR. BOLAND

I will put a further Question on this.