63. Mr. A. T. DAVIESasked the Postmaster-General whether his attention has been directed to the complaints that, under the new policy adopted by the Post Office, orders from wholesale houses, usually posted at the close 582 of the day in half-penny envelopes, are purposely delayed and delivery is consequently not effected until the 3 p.m. delivery on the following afternoon, which in practice means that a day is lost; and whether, in sympathy with commercial requirements, he will consider altering this procedure?
§ The ASSISTANT POSTMASTER-GENERAL (Mr. Pike Pease)A few such complaints have come to my notice. In order to relieve the sorting offices during the hours of pressure in the evening, the reduction of the postage on printed matter to id. was coupled with the proviso that correspondence paid for at this low rate should be posted before a specified time in the afternoon, if required to be, dealt with the same day. This restriction is on the lion's recommended by the Geddes Committee in their Report on the Post Office. In view of the considerable economies and improvements in staffing effected thereby, I regret that I am unable further to extend the scope of the reduced rate, which, I may point out, is below cost. Printed matter posted after the specified time, and bearing a penny stamp, is not subject to delay.