§ MR. HENNIKER HEATON (Canterbury)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether it is required by the Inland Pattern and Sample Post regulations of the Post Office, that the trade, as well as the name and address, of the sender shall be printed or stamped on the label of the packet; whether he is aware that, in a recent instance at Liverpool, a well-known merchant was fined double the deficient postage at the letter rate, on the ground that the cover of the parcel, though bearing his name and address in printed characters, also the words "Sample Post," did not contain a printed statement of his trade, but only a written statement of his trade; whether he will take into consideration that this rule excludes poor traders who cannot afford printing from the benefits of the Sample Post; and, whether this rule excluding written particulars is in force in any other country in Europe?
§ THE SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Mr. R. W. HANBURY, Preston)The Inland Sample Post Regulations require the trade, as well as the name and address, of the sender to be printed or stamped on every sample packet. The particular instance at Liverpool to which the hon. Member refers cannot be traced, but, if the regulation in regard to the printing or stamping of the trade was not complied with, the packet was liable to letter postage. There is no question of excluding "poor traders who cannot afford printing." The particulars required can be impressed with an india rubber stamp, the cost of which is very small, and the Postmaster General does not see his way to abandon this regulation. The Post Office is not able to say whether a similar regulation is in force in other countries.