§ Mr. SLOANasked the Postmaster-General, with reference to the visit which the senior assistant surveyor of the Northern postal district in Ireland paid to Derry in April last, if he can state the nature of the duties that he was called upon to discharge during the period that he remained in Derry; whether he is aware that upon the occasion of that visit, whilst in military uniform, he arrested a boy messenger, whom he brought to the local post office and against whom he preferred to the boy's superior a charge that he had found him loitering; whether he is aware that in respect to this charge the assistant surveyor was assured that the messenger was not on duty and would not be for some hours subsequently, whereupon he was released from custody, but without apology on the part of the assistant surveyor; and, if so, what steps, if any, will be taken to restrain the assistant surveyor in the future from this sort of action?
§ Mr. SYDNEY BUXTONNo complaint has been made to me in connection with the alleged incident.
§ Mr. SLOANasked the Postmaster-General how many surveyors and assistant surveyors are attached to the postal 2166W service in Ireland; what is the specific nature of the duties that they are required to perform; how many days were they respectively absent from their respective headquarters in the year ending 31st March last; what has been the amount claimed and allowed in respect of such absences by the surveyors and assistant surveyors in each district, first, in respect of personal allowance, and, secondly, as against the cost of locomotion within the period referred to; whether they are accorded a licence, by-right of their position, to absent themselves for lengthened periods from their respective headquarters; if not, by whom is supervision exercised; and what steps, if any, are taken to guard against the incurring of unnecessary expenses under these headings?
§ Mr. SYDNEY BUXTONI am unable to see that any useful purpose would be served by collecting the information detailed in the question.