§ 55. Sir WILLIAM DAVISONasked the Home Secretary by what authority he has directed the Postmaster-General to open and refuse to convey a private letter addressed to the Irish Free State containing 10s. for a ticket in the Irish Hospitals Sweepstake for the private use of the sender and not for sale or distribution, especially having regard to the statement of the Home Secretary that it is not an offence under the Betting and Lotteries Act for a private individual to send 10s. to Dublin for the purchase of a sweepstake ticket for himself?
§ Mr. LLOYDThe power to issue directions to the Postmaster-General is a common law power. An individual application to the promoters of the Irish 831 sweepstakes for a ticket for the applicant's own use is not allowed to be sent through the post since that would facilitate the distribution by the promoters of lottery tickets in this country, and such distribution is illegal.
§ Sir W. DAVISONIn view of the fact that we were informed by the Home Secretary during the Debate on that Bill that it was perfectly legal for an individual to send for a ticket for himself as long as he did not distribute it, was the House not misled in this matter?
§ Mr. LLOYDThe action of my right hon. Friend is not based on the ground that an individual application constitutes an offence.
§ Sir W. DAVISONMay I ask why an individual doing a perfectly legal act is refused the facilities of the Post Office by this arbitrary action on the part of the Home Secretary?
§ Mr. LLOYDIf thousands of individuals performed that act, it would, in fact, result in a distribution of lottery tickets by the promoters of the Irish Hospitals Sweepstake, which is was the intention of the Act to prevent.