§ 23. Mr. LIDDALLasked the Postmaster-General the number of letters handled by the Post Office in the latest convenient period of 12 months; how many of these were mislaid temporarily; how many are known to have been stolen; and how many have not been traced?
§ Sir E. BENNETTThe number of letters and other packets sent in the letter mails during the 12 months ended the 31st of March last was approximately 6,640,000,000. I regret that it would be impossible to obtain reliable information with reference to the other figures asked for without prolonged and costly examination, but my right hon. Friend can, however, give an assurance that the total number of losses forms a very small proportion of the number of packets sent through the post.
§ Mr. LIDDALLIs the hon. Member aware that judicial comments have been made respecting the lowness of the wages paid to certain postal employés, and does he not think that in the interests of the public it would be better to pay these postal servants a wage sufficient to enable them—