§ 42. Mr. T. Johnstonasked the Attorney-General whether his attention has been called to the distribution through His Majesty's mails of thousands of printed invitations to persons in this country to invest in the TwinMac Gold Syndicate, Limited, of Montreal, Canada; and whether he will consult with the Postmaster-General as to the advisability of increasing his powers of refusing facilities for further deliveries of the solicitation literature of this concern?
§ The Attorney-General (Sir Donald Somervell)I have no knowledge of the company to which the right hon. Gentleman refers, and, therefore, do not know exactly what he has in mind. There are obvious difficulties in the way of increasing the Postmaster-General's powers in the way suggested. If the right hon. Gentleman will communicate with me further, I would be glad to consider his point.
§ Mr. JohnstonHas the Attorney-General really no information on this point, seeing that complaints have been made in public prints on this matter; and is there any other way than through the Post Office by which these share pushers who operate from outside this country can be stopped?
§ The Attorney-GeneralI am afraid I have not read the public prints to which the right hon. Gentleman refers, but if his point is in connection with share pushing, there is, as he knows, a committee of inquiry sitting on that subject, and, if 794 he put his point to them, I am certain that they would consider it.
§ Mr. JohnstonIf I give the Attorney-General copies of these circulars which are sent from Canada, will he undertake to consult with the Postmaster-General on the subject?
§ Mr. H. G. WilliamsWill my hon. and learned Friend make certain that, in stopping abuses of this kind, he does not ask the Postmaster-General to open a great mass of private letters?