§ Sir W. Smithersasked the Assistant Postmaster-General if his attention has been called to the case of William John Harmon, of Union Crescent, Bethnal Green, who pleaded guilty at Old Street Police Court, in which a Post Office official asked Mr. Langley, the magistrate, to impose a substantial penalty; and by whose instructions this request was made.
§ Mr. BurkeI am aware of the case in question. The suggestion to the magistrate that he should consider imposing a substantial penalty in this case was made on the authority of the Postmaster-General in accordance with a general instruction issued to the Post Office officials responsible for acting as informants in the prosecution of such cases under the Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1904.