§ Mr. JOYCEasked the Postmaster General whether one of the principal duties of a head postmaster is to visit the rural sub-offices under his control at regular intervals; if so, will he state the total number of such visits made by the postmaster of Limerick since he was appointed to his present office; and in this connection will he state why travelling duties so frequently devolve upon the superintendent at Limerick?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUEL:A head postmaster should visit his rural sub-offices when cases of importance arise at any of them, but he acts within the limits of his descretion when he delegates his duty of inspection to any of his suitably qualified officers. It would not serve any useful purpose to state the number of visits to sub-offices made by the present postmaster of Limerick since he was appointed to that post. I have made inquiry into the circumstances, and have no reason to believe that the postmaster in any way neglects his duty in this matter, nor that he delegates his travelling work unnecessarily.