HC Deb 14 May 1963 vol 677 cc1111-2
10. Mr. Driberg

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware that a Christmas card, sent from London by air-mail to an address in Nassau in December, 1959, was returned to the sender on 25th April, 1963, the envelope being marked unclaimed and bearing three Nassau postmarks dated, respectively, 6th January, 1960, 12th January, 1960, and 27th April, 1963; if, in view of the fact that, after a delay of more than three years, this communication was returned to the sender in London two days before the date of the latest Nassau postmark, he will obtain from the Bahamian postal authorities an explanation of these phenomena; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Mawby

I am informed by the Bahamas postal authorities that this Christmas card was twice delivered to the club to which it was addressed but each time it was unclaimed by the person for whom it was intended and returned to the Nassau Post Office. This would account for the 1960 postmarks. There was no obligation on the Bahamas postal authorities then to return the card to the sender in this country, and I regret that, without further information—which I am seeking and on which I will write to the hon. Member—I cannot explain why they decided to do so and why they took so long. I understand that the postmark of 27th April, 1963, was due to an error in setting the date-stamp in the Nassau Post Office.

Mr. Driberg

While thanking the Assistant Postmaster-General for having investigated what may seem to be a relatively trivial matter, may I ask him whether he would agree that it would not be so trivial if this kind of thing happened often? Can the hon. Gentleman say whether there are many delays and errors in the Nassau Post Office? Is there general chaos there?

Mr. Mawby

As I said, I have looked into this and I cannot see any evidence that this is a general happening. The probable result of the hon. Gentleman's Question is that even this sort of isolated incident will not happen again.