§ MR. G. BERKELEYwished to put a question to the right hon. Baronet the Home Secretary respecting the puritanical attempt now making in different parts of the country to close the Post Offices on Sunday. The question he wished to put was, whether it was in the power of the Postmaster General to close the Post Office on Sunday, and prevent the delivery of letters on private solicitation?
§ SIR J. GRAHAMsaid, that the hon. Member had been obliging enough in the course of that morning to give him notice of the question he was to put on this subject. He had had no opportunity of consulting the Postmaster General since the receipt of the hon. Member's note, but he conceived it was a question of general law which he might answer without consulting the Postmaster General. He believed that the law as it now stood was, that the Postmaster General had power to regulate the hours of delivery on Sunday at the different Post Offices. In the metropolis, as the House was aware, the boxes were open for the receipt of letters, but there was no delivery. In country towns, however, he believed that a delivery did take place at certain hours, though there was no attendance at the office during the time of divine service. He (Sir J. Graham) was not aware there was any intention to change either the law or the practice.