§ MR. MAHONY (Meath, N.)I beg to ask the Postmaster General whether, on 17th July, a telegram was sent from Pruskow Station, Poland, addressed Mahony, Holland Road, Brighton, whether it was returned marked "not known;" and, whether, in view of the fact that Mr. George Mahony has been residing for the past ten months at 21, Holland Road, Brighton, and has been in constant receipt of both letters and telegrams, he can explain why the telegram was not delivered to him, instead of being returned to Poland marked "not known?"
§ * MR. RAIKESThe telegram to which the hon. Member refers was received in Brighton at 10.44 p.m. It was at once sent out for delivery in Holland Road, and was tried there at seven houses without success. As by this time it was 11 o'clock, the messenger did not consider himself justified in carrying the attempt any further. There is a wide difference between the treatment of letters and of telegrams. Letters fall into the hands of postmen who are every day employed in the same streets; and in this way acquire a knowledge of the names of the residents, whereas telegrams are delivered by boys who are employed successively in the delivery of telegrams in different directions. In this particular case the name of the Addressee was not known to the Telegraphic Staff at Brighton, and they had no alternative but to notify to the office of origin that the telegram could not be delivered.
MR. MAHONEYIs it not the fact that the telegram was kept at the General Post Office, Brighton, for three days without being sent to the sub office in the Western Road, where the address of Mr. Mahoney was well known?
§ * MR. RAIKESI know nothing of the facts, but if necessary I will obtain information.