§ 50. Sir W. de FRECEasked the Postmaster-General if his Department compiles statistics showing the profit or loss on individual post offices; and, if not, will he consider the desirability of compiling such statistics?
§ Sir W. MITCHELL-THOMSONA post office is not a self-contained trading unit, but a unit in a complex communication system; and the cash receipts at any office bear no relation to the volume of work of various kinds which it handles. Individual profit and loss accounts are, therefore, not practicable. Statistics are, however, kept of the volume of business handled in relation to the staff employed in handling it, and there are used for purposes of control.