Lord Campbellsaid, since he had mentioned the subject, he had been informed that the grievance which had been complained of was generally felt; and that even the Prime Minister himself had been obliged to complain that his newspapers had not arrived regularly. By these irregularities many persons had been deprived of the information they desired. The Return he desired was of the number of applications which, during the period of the last twelve months, had been addressed to the authorities of the General Post Office, complaining of the miscarriage and loss of newspapers passing through the post-offices.
§ The Earl of Lonsdalesaid, the Government had no objection to the Motion; but he thought it should be stated that the Post Office authorities ought not to bear the whole blame of the loss of newspapers. There never was a set of officers more zealous in the discharge of their duties than those engaged in the Post Office; and the fault was not always with the Post Office. He wished, therefore, in justice to them, to make some addition to the Motion. He begged to move, that there be added to his noble Friend's Motion, a Return of all the newspapers lying in the Dead Letter Office, which had not reached their destination, either through misdirection, want of addresses, or other assignable causes. The number of these often amounted to 3000 or 4000 a week.
§ The Earl of Ellenboroughsuggested, that before the Post Office was charged with neglect in not delivering newspapers, it would be well to ascertain that those papers had actually been put into the receiving boxes.
§ The Earl of Lonsdalethanked his noble Friend for his suggestion.
§ Motion agreed to.