§ 80. Mr. FLAVINasked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that complaints have been made by Irish soldiers serving in Salonika about not only the delay but the non-delivery of parcels sent by their families from Ireland to their sons in Salonika; and whether he will say why there is this delay, and why parcels sent weekly were in many cases not delivered?
§ The POSTMASTER-GENERAL (Mr. J. Pease)Letter and parcel mails for the Salonika Force are forwarded from London by the most expeditious routes at the disposal of the Post Office, and-there is no avoidable delay in their transmission. The period of transit for parcels is necessarily longer than for letters, but as a rule does not exceed three weeks. Various reasons may account for a delay or the non-delivery. The non-delivery of a parcel is frequently due to the address being either incomplete or incorrect, or to insufficient packing.
§ Mr. FLAVINMay I draw the right hon. Gentleman's attention to one particular case which has been brought to my notice, where a parcel has been sent out each week, but not 25 per cent, of the parcels have been delivered to the soldier at the front?
§ Mr. PEASEI should be very glad to have any case inquired into if the hon. Member would give me the dates when the parcels were sent off.
§ Mr. FLAVINI will send the communication to the right hon. Gentleman.