§ MR. HENNIKER HEATON (Canterbury)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether he has seen the suggestion of an officer of the Postal Department (intimately acquainted with the working of the mail cart service in London) for connecting the various post offices and railway stations by an electric tube of sufficient dimensions to admit of the carriage of the mails; and, whether he will consider the expediency of recommending the appointment of a small Committee, composed of Gentlemen of this House and others expert in such matters, to consider and report upon the suggestions made?
THE SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Mr. R, W. HANBURY,) PrestonSuggestions, which are probably those referred to by the hon. Member, are at present before the Department. The results of the experiment in underground transmission, which was made some years ago by the Pneumatic Dispatch Company, afford little encouragement to expect a more successful issue from the use of tubes, electric or pneumatic. The Postmaster General in these circumstances is not prepared to assent to the appointment of such a Committee as the hon. Member suggests.