§ Colonel DAYasked the Postmaster-General whether postmen in any particular districts have been supplied with electric torches for use when delivering letters; if so, in what district or districts; and whether it is proposed to issue such torches to the whole of the service?
§ Sir W. MITCHELL-THOMSONThere is no district in which electric; torches are supplied to postmen generally for use when delivering letters, though in a few individual cases they have been furnished to meet special circumstances or for experimental purposes. A general substitution of electric torches for the normal oil lamps has repeatedly been considered, but so far no electric torch has been found to compete with the oil lamp in purchase price, cost of maintenance and reliability.