§ 53. Mr. HOUSTONasked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that a parcel of logbooks and abstracts of logs addressed to the captain or a steamer, the name of which has been supplied to him by the Member for the West Toxteth Division of Liverpool, at La Rochelle-Pallice, France, was posted at the General Post Office, Liverpool, on 28th September last and was not delivered to the steamer before she sailed from La Pallice on 14th October; that complaints of non-delivery were made by the owners of the steamer to the Post Office on and after 4th October, but the same were not acknowledged until 10th November; that, although postage was paid on the parcel in the first instance, further postage was demanded from the owners for the return of the parcel; that the Postmaster-General was requested by the owners to forward the parcel to another French port to await the arrival of the steamer there on her return voyage; that on 2nd December the owners were informed that the parcel was still lying at La Pallice; that the Postmaster-General was again repeatedly urged by the owners to forward the parcel to the steamer to this other French port; whether he is aware that the steamer has again recently sailed from this other French port without the logbooks and abstracts, although the same are required for Admiralty purposes; that since 4th October numerous communications have been made by the owners to the Postmaster-General; that the replies from his Department are that the matter is receiving consideration, accompanied with requests to fill up offi- 1616 cial forms; whether he is aware that this is not an exceptional case; and whether he will take prompt steps to remedy this state of affairs?
Mr. PIKE PEASEI am having inquiry made into the particular case cited by the hon. Member and will acquaint him with the result in due course. I may say at once, however, that the parcel post with other countries is governed by international agreements embodying precise detailed regulations for the conduct of the service which do not admit of exceptional treatment in individual cases. In view of the unavoidable congestion in the railway and Customs services the foreign parcel post is not a suitable medium for the transmission of important and urgently-needed documents, and I would recommend the hon. Member to send such articles by registered letter post in future.
§ Mr. HOUSTONWill my hon. Friend make arrangements with the Admiralty that such documents as are required for seamen in the Admiralty Service shall be forwarded direct, and that we shall not have such an example of delay as this?