§ MR. WEIR (Ross and Cromarty)To ask the Postmaster-General if he will state what percentage of the depositors in the Post Office Savings Bank fail to forward their deposit books to the head office once a year; and what percentage send in their books more than once a year.
(Answered by Lord Stanley.) It is estimated that less than 25 per cent. of depositors with active accounts fail to forward their books annually to headquarters for examination. There are no statistics available showing the number of depositors that send in their books more than once a year. Fee for Letters addressed to Tain Post Office "to be called for."
§ MR. WEIRTo ask the Postmaster-General whether he is now in a position to explain why the officials at the Tain post office required persons calling for letters on the 7th instant to fill in a form and pay a charge of three pence before they would undertake to search the caller's box; and, seeing that a similar error was recently proved to have been made at the Cromer post office, will he state how these irregular charges originated, and what steps have been taken to prevent their recurrence.
(Answered by Lord Stanley.) As I have already explained to the hon. Member by letter, on public holidays in Scotland (one of which was reserved at Tain on 7th July) and on bank holidays in England and Ireland, letters arriving after the morning delivery for residents who do not rent private boxes can only be obtained on payment of the usual fees for express delivery; and this will, no doubt, account for the special charge made at Tain on the 7th ultimo. Visitors, however, can use the Poste Restante without any charge.