§ Mr. JOHN WARDasked the Postmaster-General whether he has received a communication from the Town Clerk of the Borough of Stoke-upon-Trent relative to the defective telegraph arrangements for that district; and, if so, what action dose he propose to take to remove this grievance.
§ The POSTMASTER-GENERAL (Mr. Sydney Buxton)I have received a communication from the Town Clerk, but I see no reason to think that the telegraph arrangements are defective, so far as the Post Office is concerned. It was the practice, after the closing of the post office at Stoke-on-Trent, namely 10 p.m., to send urgent telegrams viâ Manchester to Stoke Railway Station for delivery by the North Staffordshire Railway Company. The company, however, finding that the number of such telegrams had diminished (the diminution was not due to any action on the part of the Post Office) decided 1848 three months ago to abandon the service, except as regards delivery within the station. There is no case for keeping the post office open all night for telegraph purposes, and, of course, I cannot compel the railway company to keep the station open for delivery.