§ MR. TREVELYAN (Yorkshire, Elland)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster-General, whether he is aware of the existence of discontent owing to the stricter enforcement by the Post Office of full addresses for telegraph messages, even where there has been hitherto no doubt or ignorance as to the person named in the incomplete address; and whether the Postmaster-General can see his way either to a modification of the rule which insists on full addresses or to the reduction of the fee for registered addresses, which now stands at a guinea.
§ MR. HANBURYThe Postmaster-General is aware of the existence, here and there, of discontent, owing to the requirement by the Post Office of a sufficient address for telegrams, but he has no reason to think that, except perhaps in a few isolated cases, this has been done where there has been an address which enabled the Department to effect delivery without difficulty or delay and without reference to directories. Otherwise telegrams cannot be transmitted and delivered with due expedition, and there is risk of those bearing sufficient addresses also being delayed through the time of the officers of the Department being taken up in making inquiries. The Post Office does not recommend the registration of an abbreviated address. It would be much 1482 the best if in all cases a full address were used. The Postmaster-General does not, however, regard the present fee as excessive, and he cannot see his way to reduce it.