§ Mr. NIELDasked whether the right hon. Gentleman is aware that the local postmasters at Upton and Clap-gate (East Dorset) have each of them exhibited election bills and literature in favour of the Radical candidate during the by-election in that Division; whether he has caused any remonstrance to be made to such postmasters, or whether any objection has been intimated to them by their official superiors as to their being liable 1319 to dismissal; and whether any differentiation has been made in their cases and the case of the retired soldier postmaster at Lytchett Minster, upon whose cottage a Conservative poster was affixed in January last and allowed to remain, as to the consequences of such conduct?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELThere have been four cases in which my attention has been drawn, in Connection with the recent election in East Dorset, to breaches by sub-postmasters of the rule which forbids them from taking an active part in party politics. The first was that of a sub-postmaster from a neighbouring constituency, who spoke at meetings on behalf of the Liberal candidate. He was censured and informed that he could not be retained in the service of the Post Office if he persisted. He has not again infringed the rule. The next case was that of the sub-postmaster of Lytchett Minster, who exhibited on the walls of the post office placards in support of the Conservative candidate. He was seen on the subject, and requested to remove them, which he refused to do. He was then informed that if he deliberately disobeyed the rules of the Post Office he could not be continued in it service, and as he still declined to remove the placards he was suspended from his functions. At the same time I was informed that the sub-postmasters of Upton and Clapgate were exhibiting on their premises placards in the interest of the Liberal candidate. Similar instructions were immediately sent, and the sub-postmasters in both cases at once removed the posters. The allegation that any discrimination in any particular has been made in these cases in favour of one party as against another is wholly unfounded. I may add that as the sub-postmaster of Lytchett Minster has been a useful and efficient servant of the Post Office, and has, in addition, previously served with credit in the Army, I propose to reinstate him in his position, on an assurance being given that he will not again offend against the regulations of the Department. It must not, however, be assumed that this course will be followed if other similar cases occur.
§ Viscount CASTLEREAGHWho was deputed to remonstrate with the postmaster at Lytchett Minster?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELThe surveyor sent one of his staff.