§ MR. PATRICK O'BRIEN (Kilkenny)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, will he explain on what grounds the Post Office Department have called upon sub-postmasters to bear part of the cost of the concessions granted to the public on Jubilee Day, 1897, by reducing their allowances for the delivery of all telegrams beyond one mile at the rate of from 25 to 30 per cent.; and whether 277 sub-postmasters were asked if they were willing to bear this share of the cost of the Postal Jubilee concessions?
§ MR. HANBURYIt is not the fact that sub-postmasters have been called upon to bear any part of the cost of the concessions granted to the public on Jubilee Day, 1897, in consequence of the reduction in the allowances for the delivery of telegrams beyond one mile. Allowances of this kind are necessarily the subject of revision from time to time, and are fixed in accordance with the scale which experience from time to time proves is requisite for the service. As a matter of fact, the large extension of cycling in England has enabled the Department to effect a considerable reduction in the cost of delivery over three miles and a smaller reduction in the cost of delivery between one mile and three miles. But the allowances now in force are believed to be adequate. If, however, in any particular district they should, from any cause, be inadequate, they will be increased as circumstances may require.