§ MR. CUNINGHAME GRAHAM (Lanark, N.W.)I beg to ask the Postmaster General whether the postal authorities, while openly permitting letter carriers to solicit and receive Christmas presents, forbid and punish parcel postmen for the same practice; and whether many cases of punishment or dismissal of parcel postmen have occurred recently?
§ THE POSTMASTER GENERAL (Mr. RAIKES, University of Cambridge)The custom of letter carriers receiving Christmas boxes is a very old one, and so far as they are concerned the Department has recognised the difficulties that would attend any interference with it. But it has appeared both practicable and advisable to prevent the extension of the custom to new classes, and with this view the solicitation of Christmas boxes by Post Office servants other than letter carriers is prohibited on pain of dismissal. Four parcel postmen out of a total number of 532 have been recently punished or dismissed for violation of the rule.