Page:The life and letters of Sir John Henniker Heaton bt. (IA lifelettersofsi00port).pdf/334

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SIR JOHN HENNIKER HEATON

were delivered, but minus the bank-notes. They can get no compensation, and the consul at Malaga says that letters are regularly tampered with.

P.M.-Gen.: Tell these good people that I am, under Act of Parliament, not responsible.

A Consultative Committee

Sec.: It is now lunch time and I have not gone through a quarter of my complaints.

P.M.-Gen.: What about a consultative committee? It is unquestionably true that no business man would dare to irritate his customers as we do in the Post Office. As we have no business man in our department, might it not be worth while to adopt the suggestion made for the appointment of a permanent consultative committee of business men to sit with me and advise me as to the requirements of the public?

Sec.: There are numerous fatal objections, the first being that we officials should consider ourselves deeply insulted, and should resign in a body. The second is——

P.M.-Gen.: Say no more. Let us go to lunch.