§ MR. ARTHUR HENDERSON (Durham, Barnard Castle)I beg to ask the Postmaster-General if his attention has been called to the prosecution at the Hereford Assizes of a sub-postmaster, at the public expense, in connection with betting telegrams; whether these telegrams were sent to addresses in the United Kingdom or in Holland; whether they were telegrams to make illegal bets for which cash had been received in advance; and whether steps can be taken to prevent the public services being used for assisting in this illegal business.
I beg further to ask the Postmaster-General if his attention has been called to the remarks of the Judge at the Hereford assizes as to the part taken by the Post Office with regard to betting business; and whether, in view of the evidence given on lotteries before the Joint Committee of both Houses of Parliament as to the practice of the American and Australian postal authorities, he can take steps to prevent money being received for such illegal business.
§ THE POSTMASTER-GENERAL (Mr. SYDNEY BUXTON,) Tower Hamlets, PoplarMy attention has been called to the prosecution of the sub-postmaster of Stretton-Sugwas and others in connection with betting telegrams, and to the remarks of the Judge thereon. If the Judge's remarks are correctly reported, I cannot but think that they were made under a misapprehension. He speaks of the 398 responsibility of the Post Office in allowing betting telegrams to pass; but I have no power to stop such telegrams which, I am advised, are as a rule not illegal. The telegrams were for addresses in the United Kingdom, but of course no cash was received at the Post Office with them in respect of the bets. I may refer the hon. Member to the Report of the Select Committee of the House of Lords in 1902, in which they reported that they did not consider it would be possible for the Postmaster-General to make any distinction between the facilities afforded to betting telegrams and other telegrams.