§ Mr. AGG-GARDNERasked whether, as the district of Charlton Kings, in Gloucestershire, with a population of over 5,000, has been deprived of all postal and telegraph facilities on every Wednesday in 1539 each week in order to provide the postmaster with a half-holiday, he will arrange for some assistant to take up the duties on that afternoon, and so afford the inhabitants of the district the usual advantages of a post office?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELAs has been explained to the hon. Member, a weekly half-holiday was granted to the sub-postmaster with the consent of the local authorities, and in accordance with the general practice recommended by the Parliamentary Committee of 1906–7. It is not the case that the district is deprived of all postal and telegraph facilities during the time that the sub-office is closed. I regret that I am unable to adopt the suggestion made.