§ MR. NICOLOn behalf of Mr. HENNIKER HEATON, I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether the officials of the Department have yet seen any mechanical device for preventing the theft of letters from pillar-boxes, which seems to be efficient; whether he is aware that in Germany a simple plan has been adopted for this purpose and found effectual; whether he has personally examined any models of the numerous British inventions of such mechanical checks; and, whether he can promise that after a fixed date the pillar-boxes in the United Kingdom shall no longer be left at the mercy of thieves?
§ MR. HANBURYThe officials of the Department have not yet seen any mechanical device which would effectively prevent the abstraction of letters from street letter-boxes under all circumstances, and at the same time be free from serious objections in other respects. The Postmaster General has personally examined models of inventions submitted to the Post Office. The plan stated to be adopted in Germany is well known, and is not considered to be effective. There is still no reason to suppose that thefts from street letter-boxes are anything but rare.