§ MR. H. C. RICHARDS (Finsbury, E.)To ask the Postmaster-General if his attention has been called to the surcharges made by the Department under the halfpenny postal rate on open order forms where the word "send" has been employed, whilst the words "per Sutton" are permitted to pass under the halfpenny rate; and, if so, will he give directions for remedying the inconvenience caused to traders by the delay 967 of such correspondence as well as by its surcharge.
(Answered by Lord Stanley.) The surcharges to which the hon. Member refers are in accordance with the published regulations of the halfpenny post. In framing these new regulations, under which the public are allowed to write in orders for goods sent for a halfpenny various particulars, including an indication of the mode of consignment of the goods, such as "per Sutton" it was not found practicable to permit the insertion of manuscript instructions such as send, although this would of course pass if printed. Attention has been recently called to the regulations on these points both in the Post Office Guide and by the exhibition of notices in every post office.