HC Deb 12 February 1913 vol 48 cc944-6
74. Mr. CLEMENT EDWARDS

asked the Postmaster-General whether his atten- tion has been called to the case of Mr. William Mitchell, the postmaster at the Clyffe Post Office, Tincleton, Dorsetshire, who is a retired Government official in receipt of a pension of 16s. a week, who was appointed to the position eleven years ago, and has since carried out his duties satisfactorily with the aid of his daughter; whether he is aware that they also conduct a small general shop which, with the post office appointment, constitutes their sole means of livelihood except for the said pension; whether he is aware that the post office is situate in a cottage belonging to a landlord who owns all the land and houses of the village, and who has given Mr. Mitchell notice to quit at the end of this week, and has refused either to withdraw the notice or provide another cottage or sell or lease land to enable another to be built; and whether, seeing that in consequence Mr. and Miss Mitchell have to leave the village and lose their livelihood, and that unpleasantness has been caused between the landlord's agent and Mr. Mitchell by reason of the latter refusing to open the mail-bags after being sealed to admit correspondence after posting hours from the former, and that a person to whom the cottage has been let, has been recommended to succeed Mr. Mitchell as postmaster is an employé of the landlord, and that a cottage is available at Pallington, one mile away, to which the post office could be moved, he will say what steps, under the circumstances, he proposes to take?

Mr. HERBERT SAMUEL

Mr. Mitchell has held the appointment of sub-postmaster at Clyffe for nearly nine years. I understand that he is a pensioned chief warder, but I have no information as to his private means. He has been given notice to quit his house on the 15th February, and is unable to secure other premises nearer than Pallington, one mile distant from Clyffe. I have made special inquiries, and have had two reports on the circumstances of this case. I am informed that Pallington, which is a hamlet with a population of only thirty persons, is not a suitable place for the post office, and that its removal there would be inconvenient to the district and would meet with local opposition. Sub-postmasters are required, as a condition of their appointment to provide suitable premises to carry on the business of the Department, and as Mr. Mitchell is no longer in a position to do so, I have no alternative but to transfer the appointment to some other applicant who is. I cannot enter into the reasons that may have caused the landlord's agent to give Mr. Mitchell notice to quit, beyond saying that I am informed that the reasons have nothing to do with any personal complaint on his part as to the manner in which Mr. Mitchell has conducted the post office.

Mr. MORRELL

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether the conduct of the post office by Mr. Mitchell was always satisfactory?

Mr. HERBERT SAMUEL

My officers have had no complaint to make of the way in which the post office was conducted; but some complaints have reached me indirectly from people in the village, not of anything done wrong by the postmaster, but as to the manner in which customers were treated.

Mr. LYELL

Has the right hon. Gentleman any compulsory powers for the acquisition of premises under such circumstances?

Mr. HERBERT SAMUEL

No.

Mr. CROOKS

Does the right hon. Gentleman propose to give the position to the nominee of the landlord who turned the other man out?

Mr. HERBERT SAMUEL

I have to give the position to some person who is able to provide suitable premises, and I understand that this is the only applicant.

Mr. T. M. HEALY

Is not the right hon. Gentleman thereby putting a premium on eviction? Would it not be fair that he should make it known that he would not allow the law to be strained in this way?

Mr. HERBERT SAMUEL

I do not know that the law has been strained. There is another side of the case. [An: HON. MEMBER: "Let us have it all out."]

Mr. J. HOGGE

Will the right hon. Gentleman tell us what is the other side?"