§ MR. PARNELLI beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, if he could facilitate the transportation, by the Parcel Post system, of perishable products, such as tender fruits, flowers, and vegetables, to London from Ireland, products which are known to bring profitable prices from that country, to cheapen the rates of those products, in order (as the railways will not) to encourage their growth by farmers and others; and whether a larger Parcel Post box or basket, holding about five hundredweight or more, could be made on wheels, the same as the American system, to wheel on to the rail way waggons, or on to the steamers, without the necessity of handling too often the small packages of perishable produce until it reaches destination, and thus enable it to be delivered to London Markets in good condition, whereas on the old system it is impossible to get 206 perishable products to market on account of Ireland being a damp climate?
§ MR. AKERS-DOUGLASThe whole question raised by the hon. Member is engaging the attention of the Postmaster General, but the difficulties connected with it are very great, and there are grave objections to the establishment of preferential rates for particular kinds of produce. Special receptacles for parcels of perishable produce, of the size and kind suggested by the hon. Member, have not hitherto been found necessary, but if there were a large development of this particular traffic, the Department would, of course, take all necessary means for its safe transmission.