§ MR. HENNIKER HEATONI beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, if he will state who is responsible for the delay caused to the merchants and business men of great towns and cities in this country, notably 634 Sheffield and Newcastle, through the misdirection and delay in forwarding numbers of London letters, and will he consult some leading men of business in. commercial circles before he deprives the public of posting, facilities hitherto enjoyed.
§ MR. MADDISON (Sheffield, Brightside)I beg also to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, if he is aware that many letters posted in London before 6 p.m. on Monday, 18th June, were not delivered in Sheffield on the following day, and will he explain the delay, and whether the causes of it were foreseen at the Post Office, and why no intimation of possible delay was given to the public beforehand.
§ MR. HANBURYAs the hon. Member is no doubt aware, owing to the want of space at St. Martin's-le-Grand, the provincial despatching work formerly done there has had to be transferred to a new office in the Farringdon Road, part of the site of the Coldbath Fields Prison. The transfer of a force of 2,500 men to new surroundings was naturally attended with some temporary disadvantage to the work, and on this account the correspondence could not be dealt with altogether as expeditiously as under normal conditions. The Postmaster General regrets that any inconvenience should have been caused to the public in carrying out this change, and he begs to assure the hon. Member that every effort is being used to restore the regular working of the service at the earliest possible time.
§ MR. MADDISONCan you answer the latter part of my question?
§ MR. HANBURYI cannot answer that.