§ MR. WILES (Islington, S.)To ask the Postmaster-General if he is aware that in consequence of later dispatches of mails from the Northern District office the conveyance of these mails to the railway stations is now entrusted to telegraph messengers; and, in view of 522 the danger of loss which such a practice exposes the public correspondence to, will he consider the advisability of arranging for a more suitable method of conveyance.
(Answered by Mr. Sydney Buxton.) It is a common practice to employ senior telegraph messengers on such duties, and in the cases mentioned by the hon. Member the boys are big lads of over sixteen years of age, who are quite competent to carry the small mail bags used on these particular despatches. Bicycles are used.