§ Ms. CAVE (Surrey, Kingston)To ask the Postmaster General whether 303 Mr. S. Maull, stationer, of Clarence Street, Kingston-on-Thames, was authorised, in the year 1898, to open a sub-post office at that address, and has since carried on such office to the satisfaction of the postal authorities; whether, at the time of his appointment, Mr. Maull informed the authorities that he was acting as local secretary to the National Deposit Friendly Society, but no objection was then taken on that ground; whether he has recently been required to resign his position on the ground that he holds the same office of local secretary to the above society; whether a petition for his continuance as postmaster has been signed by a large number of tradesmen and residents, and forwarded to the Postmaster-General; and whether he will inquire into the circumstances and will consider whether it is possible to retain Mr. Maull in an office which he has held without objection for nine years.
(Answered by Mr. Sydney Buxton.) This matter has already been brought to my attention and was receiving my consideration. In all the circumstances of the case I have decided to allow Mr. Maull to withdraw his resignation on the understanding that he ceases to hold an agency for a life insurance company.