§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEasked whether all packets sent by parcel post and addressed to sailors in the Royal Navy are 506 surcharged if the ship has left the port to which the packet is addressed unless the packet bears the additional words "or elsewhere," thus, if the words "or elsewhere" are omitted, the parcel is sent on from station to station and a surcharge made on each occasion; and whether, in the interests of our sailors, he can see his way to amend the regulation so that the endorsement or elsewhere may no longer be necessary to ensure a parcel following the ship without extra charge?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELThe object of the words "or elsewhere" is to give the Post Office the opportunity of forwarding the parcel to the port where the latest information from the Admiralty shows the ship to be. Until recently re-direction charges were levied if the ship had already left the port before parcels so addressed could be delivered; but I have arranged that if in such cases the parcel has to be forwarded to another home port no charge should be made for the subsequent re-direction. But in cases in which the sender, against the advice of the Department, addresses the parcel definitely to a particular port without it being certain that the ship will be there, the Post Office has no option but to send it to that port, and, if re-direction is then necessary, I see no reason why the ordinary charges should not be levied in order to recoup the Department for the extra expense to which it is put in effecting the delivery of the parcel.
§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that these parcels are sent by old women in the country who are quite unable to know whether the ships have been moved from one place to another?
§ Mr. SPEAKERIt would be entirely impossible for the Postmaster-General to know what the old women in the country know or do not know.