§ 38. Mr. R. MORRISONasked the Postmaster-General if he is aware of several recent cases in which letters and postal packets have not been delivered, and proof has afterwards been given to his Department that they have been stolen; and will he consider modifying the regulations in order that compensation may be payable in those cases in which proof is forthcoming that unregistered letters and packets have been stolen by Post Office employés?
§ Sir W. MITCHELL-THOMSONThe answer to the first part of the hon. 201 Member's question is in the affirmative. In view of the facilities provided for the registration of postal packets, I am not prepared to modify the existing regulation which precludes the payment of compensation in respect of unregistered letter packets.
§ Mr. MORRISONDoes the right hon. Gentleman know any other business that would repudiate responsibility for the loss of packets entrusted to their care when it was proved that the packets were lost by the employés of the firm?
§ Sir W. MITCHELL-THOMSONAs I have said, facilities for registering letters exist, and are well known.
§ Mr. MORRISONSurely the right hon. Gentleman will realise that this is an exception and deals with the case of letters entrusted to the Post Office which have been stolen by employés of the Post Office. Surely the Post Office is responsible in that case, whether the letters are registered or not?