§ Mr. BOWENasked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that trade union officials who are in the Post Office service are being held personally liable as officers of the Department for statements they make in the course of their representations as spokesmen on behalf of their staff organisations; whether he is aware that disciplinary action by the Department in such cases will cause difficulties in obtaining free discussions on matters which have, from time to time, to be placed before head postmasters; and whether he will issue instructions which will modify the present official regulations and practice so as to remove the fear of disciplinary results in the exercise by the staff of free speech in voicing their grievances?
§ Mr. VIANTAll Post Office servants must necessarily be amenable to the disciplinary regulations of the Department, but I am not aware that any difficulty is being placed in the way of local association officials freely making representations to their superior officers.