§ The following Question stood upon the Order Paper:
§ 8. Mr. IREMONGERTo ask the Postmaster-General if he is aware that local telegraph exchanges have informed callers, at the request of the subscriber during cold weather, that the lines of coal 362 merchants were out of order when such was not the case; and by what authority this practice is allowed.
§ Mr. W. R. WilliamsOn a point of order, Mr. Speaker. In view of the very serious allegations contained in this Question, and as the hon. Gentleman is not here to ask the Question, may I have your permission to invite the Assistant Postmaster-General to reply to the serious allegation at the end of Question Time, in fairness to the people against whom the allegations have been made?
§ Mr. SpeakerThat cannot be allowed. But if the hon. Member reads the Answer to the Question, which will be published, and has a further Question which he wishes to put down, of course that would be considered.
§ Mr. WilliamsFurther to that point of order. Do you, Sir, think that it is right for an hon. Member of this House to make serious allegations and not to be in attendance in order to put his Question in the ordinary way?
§ Mr. SpeakerMy opinion can be asked only on points of order. In this case, as in the case of all Questions, the hon. Member who puts down the Question makes himself responsible for the truth of the allegations contained in it.