Mr. TYSON-WILSONasked, in view of the fact that correspondence is despatched without examination to the head district offices after 7.30 p.m. in consequence of the inadequacy of the staff, why this practice is adhered to; and, having regard to the fact that a large amount of correspondence was delayed in the Eastern Central section, General Post Office, last June, through insufficient staff to meet the half-yearly pressure, whether the proposed revision and increase of staff for this section will be effected in time to be utilised at the forthcoming Michaelmas pressure?
§ Captain NORTONI would refer the hon. Member to the last paragraph of my reply to his question of the 13th ultimo, in which I stated that the practice of despatching correspondence to the head district offices unexamined, between the hours of 7.30 p.m. and 6.30 a.m., has no reference to inadequacy of staff. No delay results from the present practice, which from a departmental point of view is advantageous, and I do not propose to alter it. The proposed revision of the force of the Eastern Central section will be dealt with as expeditiously as possible.