77. Mr. HAMILTON BENNasked what are the latest hours for posting letters at the Western, South-Western, and West Central district offices in London for dispatch by the American mail leaving Liverpool by Cunard steamers sailing at 2.30 p.m. on Saturdays?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEThe latest hours for posting letters for the American mails dispatched from Liverpool by Cunard 2127 steamers on Saturdays are At the Western District Office and Western Central District Office 10.25 p.m., and at the South-Western District Office 10.15 p.m. on Fridays. The possibility of affording a later posting is being kept in view. I ought to mention that letters can be posted on Saturday morning at the General Post Office up to two o'clock a.m. without a late foe and up to three o'clock a.m. with a late fee, and that at Euston Station posting can be effected as late as a quarter-past nine a.m. on Saturday with a late fee. Little advantage is at present being taken of the special facilities for late posting.
Mr. HAMILTON BENNMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he thinks it reasonable that the time for posting should close about eleven hours before the train leaves Euston?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEThe hon. Gentleman forgets that a very considerable amount of time is taken in sorting the very heavy correspondence. It requires thousands of bags to carry the millions of letters which leave on that particular day, and it is impossible to make the hours of posting later unless we limit the amount of work done by the Post Office, so that some letters might be posted later. There would be very little advantage in doing that.