§ 40. Sir G. TOULMINasked the Postmaster-General whether letters and telegrams are now reaching the Mesopotamia Expeditionary Force; and whether information is sent to relatives at home if telegrams which they send are not delivered?
Mr. SAMUELThe Postmaster-General has asked me to answer this question on his behalf. Letters are dispatched each week to the Mesopotamian Expeditionary Force, and, so far as he is aware, the Indian postal authorities, to whom they 1643 are handed at Bombay, ensure delivery to the addressees wherever possible. Some delay appears to be inevitable. As regards telegrams, so far as he knows, there is no reason why telegrams addressed to members of the Mesopotamian Expeditionary Force should not be delivered; but he will be happy to make inquiry in any specific cases of the failure of telegrams to reach their destination, as he is doing in the case about which the hon. Member has written to him.
§ Mr. HOUSTONIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that it sometimes takes four months for a letter from this country to reach the Expeditionary Force in Mesopotamia?
Mr. SAMUELI was not aware it was as bad as that. There were delays. The Financial Secretary to the War Office gave an answer yesterday.