§ MR. FETHERSTONHAUGH (Fermanagh, N.)I beg to ask the Postmaster-General whether, according to the rules of the Department, a licensed publican can be appointed to be a postmaster; has he made any appointment or appointments of licensed persons to be postmasters in Ireland recently; and, if so, were there any other applicants.
§ MR. SYDNEY BUXTONUnder the rules of the Department a licensed publican is ineligible for appointment as a postmaster, and exception is only made when no other suitable person is available. Two persons holding licences for the sale of drink have been appointed sub-postmasters in Ireland during the present year; in each case there was no other applicant, and the post office had previously been conducted on licensed premises.