MR. PATRICK O'BRIENI beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster-General, whether he is aware that a letter weighing under half an ounce enclosed in a registered envelope, not registered properly in the office at Thomastown, Kilkenny, but posted in an ordinary letter box, and bearing a penny stamp, was made liable to a charge of fourpence on delivery; whether the Postmaster General is liable for the loss of valuable property if sent in an official registered letter envelope without the sender obtaining a receipt; and if not, on what grounds is a charge of fourpence made for a letter because it happens to be sent, duly stamped, in an envelope issued by the Department; and whether he will alter this rule?
§ MR. HANBURYThe Postmaster General has made inquiry into the particular case referred to by the hon. Member, and he finds that the envelope was posted almost immediately after the publication of the new regulations, and improperly charged through an oversight. The hon. Member is probably aware 169 that prior to the issue of recent regulations the envelope improperly posted would be liable to a charge of 6d. viz., four times the registration fee less the 2d. paid on the envelope. The clerk dealing with the case seems actually to have made this charge in the first instance and corrected it, writing 4d. over the 6d. He should, as a matter of fact, have written 2d. The Postmaster General is not legally liable for the loss of any article sent by post, but he voluntarily undertakes to grant compensation in the case of letters, etc., which have been posted and registered in accordance with the rules. A line is levied on letters marked "Registered" butimproperly posted, to make the public careful to avoid placing temptation in the way of servants of the Department, and the Postmaster General is not prepared to abolish the rule.
§ MR. T. P. O'CONNOR (Liverpool, Scotland)On behalf of the hon. Member for Canterbury (Mr. HENNIKER HEA-TON), I beg to ask the. Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether a person having no stamp, but having a registered letter envelope for which he has paid twopence, and which bears a twopenny embossed stamp, may send a circular, or other bookpost matter of the prescribed weight, in such envelope, provided the envelope be left unfastened, without rendering the addressee liable to a line of fourpence on delivery; and, if a fine is thereby incurred, whether he will explain what offence has been committed, or how the Department can be injured or defrauded by the use of an unfastened registered envelope as a cover for bookpost matter?
§ MR. HANBURYRegistered letter envelopes are sold for the convenience of the public in sending registered letters, and must not be used for any other purpose. If a registered letter envelope therefore is dropped into a letter box instead of being handed over a counter it must be assumed, whatever its contents, that it is intended for registration, and the ordinary fine will be exacted for its irregular posting. Regulations of this kind are made to facilitate the work of the Department, and if such suggestions as he puts forward in the Question were adopted, the work of the Department would be proportionately delayed with 170 the effect of arresting the mails and casting indirectly inconvenience on the general public.