§ MR. HENNIKER HEATON (Canterbury)I beg to ask the Postmaster General, with reference to the complaints recently received by him from a British subject residing in Rome, stating that the Rome Postal Authorities had declined to deliver at his house certain books despatched to him from Paisley on the ground that they were too numerous, to which the Secretary to the British Post Office replied that—
The British Post Office has, of course, no control in such a matter as this, relating to the internal postal arrangements of a foreign country; but, as your complaint is not an isolated one, it has been thought well to make known to the Director General of the Italian Post Office the circumstance to which you have directed attention,whether he has any objection to give to the House the reply of the Rome Postal Authorities to his letter; and whether the Italian Post Office is bound under agreement with the British Post Office to deliver letters, books, and other articles sent through the post at the domicile of the persons addressed?
§ *SIR JAMES FERGUSSONThe Italian Post Office does not refuse to deliver book packets, but, when they are too heavy to be delivered by the first out-going letter carrier, they are sent to their addresses by special supplementary deliveries. The internal postal regulations limit to half a kilo-gramme for each person addressed, the weight of correspondence which the Post Office is bound to deliver. There is no special agreement between the British and Italian Post Offices on this subject; and the Universal Postal Union does not restrict the right of the contracting parties to organise their own system of delivery at their discretion.