MR. MACARTNEYasked the Postmaster General, Whether he cannot relax the prohibition to the contractors for mail carts and cars to be employed by the Parcels Post with regard to their carrying parcels under the weight of seven pounds for the public, so far as to permit of private arrangements being made by the proprietors of newspapers for the carriage of small parcels of newspapers as heretofore?
§ MR. O'DONNELLasked the Postmaster General, If mail carriers will be forbidden in the North of Ireland to carry newspaper parcels as heretofore, except at postal parcel rates; and, if he is aware that such a prohibition will virtually double the cost of country newspapers?
§ MR. FAWCETTWith the view of preventing any interference with the cheap and early circulation of newspapers in rural districts, I have, after giving the subject careful consideration, decided to allow contractors for mail carts and cars to continue, as at present, to enter into private arrangements with newspaper proprietors for the carriage of parcels of newspapers; but on the understanding that the carrying of newspapers in no way interferes with either the Letter or Parcel Postal Service.
MR. MACARTNEY, Will the right hon. Gentleman say, if possible, when he expects the new Parcels Post to come into operation?
§ MR. FAWCETTIt has been decided that the Inland Parcels Post shall come into operation on Wednesday, the 1st of August. A Circular will be issued to the public this afternoon as to the dimensions of parcels, the rates, and other particulars.