§ MR. RAMSAY MACDONALDI beg to ask the Postmaster-General whether he has been taking action upon complaints recently sent, to him from betting agents, whose headquarters are on the Continent, alleging that members of the Pout Office staff are guilty of malpractices in connection with the transmission of bets through the post; whether he has taken steps to protect postmen, otherwise than by punishing those who have been found guilty, from the temptations placed in their way by the advertisements of these betting agents; and whether he has taken any steps to make it difficult for these agents to use the Post Office for their purposes.
§ MR. SYDNEY BUXTONIt is obviously necessary to investigate complaints which impute malpractices to members of the Post Office staff, and to take action according to the result of such investigations. Illegal advertisements of betting agents are stopped if they are posted in open covers; but I have no power to open or detain closed letters, on the suspicion that they contain such circulars. I have recently taken steps to withhold in such cases facilities for prepayment of postage in money. I may add that the whole question of lottery and other circulars is under the consideration of a Joint Committee of both Houses, and my Department have given evidence before the Committee.