§ MR. HAZELL (Leicester)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether he is aware that it has been the custom for post offices to telephone telegrams whenever a telephone apparatus is available instead of delivering by hand, and to forward the written telegram by the next postal delivery; whether, by recent instructions, postmasters have been ordered not to deliver written telegrams in addition to telephoning them; why was the system altered; and is he aware that dependence upon the telephone only is liable to error in certain classes of messages, and will he give instructions that the former system shall be resumed.
§ MR. HANBURYThe custom mentioned in the first paragraph has not been the rule. The general rule has been to give delivery by telephone in lieu of other delivery; but, to meet special requirements, the Postmaster General some time ago arranged that any addressee might have each morning in a single express letter, paid for at the usual rate, copies of all telegrams delivered by telephone on the previous day. This arrangement is still in force. If the hon. Member will send to the Postmaster General particulars of the case he has in view, inquiry shall be made as to the circumstances. Special precautions are taken to prevent errors in the delivery of telegrams by telephone, and as a matter of fact the cases of such errors are very few. Delivery by telephone is entirely optional, and is given in all cases at the special request of the addressees.