HC Deb 14 March 1890 vol 342 c870
MR. HENNIKER HEATON (Canterbury)

I beg to ask the Postmaster General whether he is aware that, in the United States and in Australia, the hour of posting or collection, as well as the date, are legibly stamped upon every envelope by the postal officials, so that the public are able to trace, and at the same time control, the movements of their correspondence without recourse to the authorities; and whether he has any objection to introduce the plan in question in this country?

* MR. RAIKES

I am aware that in the United States and Australia a practice exists (though less general in Australia than in the United States) of marking upon letters the hour of collection in addition to the date; but this does not enable the public to trace the movements of their correspondence with out recourse to the authorities. In the United States (from Australia there is no official information) it simply enables the public to ascertain the approximate time of the posting of a letter. At offices through which the letter subsequently pusses and at the office of final delivery it is not the practice to insert the hours of arrival and despatch, and this because it is found that the public might draw very inaccurate conclusions therefrom, not allowing for the intervals which often necessarily elapse between the arrival and despatch at the forwarding offices and between the arrival and delivery at the office of destination. The system of post-marks at present in use in this country enables the Department to exercise an adequate chock upon the officials concerned, and I am not prepared to adopt the suggestion of the hon. Member.