§ MR. PIERPOINT (Warrington)I beg to ask the Postmaster General whether he is aware that letters arriving in London by the Channel Islands mail at or about 6.30 p.m. are not delivered till the next day; whether arrangements can be made for delivering them on the evening of arrival; and whether letters for the Provinces from the Channel Islands are forwarded by the night or midnight mails, or are kept in London until the next day mail?
§ MR. A. MORLEYAlthough the train in connection with the mail packets from the Channel Islands is due at Waterloo about 6.30 p.m., it rarely arrives at that hour. According to a Return for the period since the 1st of July, the average hour of arrival has been 7.44 p.m. Under these circumstances, it is impossible to include the letters for London in the last deliveries the same day, except in the East Central District. As regards letters from the Channel Islands for the Provinces, many of these letters do not circulate through London at all, but those which do so circulate cannot be included in the ordinary night mails despatched from the General Post Office at 8 p.m. They are, however, included in supplementary and midnight despatches, if they arrive at the General Post Office at least half an hour before the actual time of despatch of these mails.
§ MR. PIERPOINTAssuming the possibility of a South Western train arriving at its proper time, would the letters be delivered in the evening? The Guide says that under no possibility could they be delivered till the next day.
§ MR. A. MORLEYI should not like to answer that question without making careful inquiry.
§ MR. PIERPOINTIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that letters posted in Jersey on Friday are not delivered in London until Monday morning?
§ [No answer was given.]