§ Mr. HORNIMANasked the Postmaster-General whether parcels which cannot be delivered to residents in flats and residential chambers, owing to the absence of the occupiers during the daytime, are liable to be returned to the senders as undeliverable on a notice issued by the Post Office at 2 p.m. informing the addressee that 1969W the parcel will be finally proffered at 5 p.m.; whether, in the case of blocks of flats that have only one hall-porter's office, a charge of £1 1s. per annum is made if parcels are left there by instruction; and whether a notice affixed to the door of a flat requesting that this be done suffices without payment of a fee, or whether this is left to the discretion of the postman?
§ Mr. BUXTONIt is not the practice to return undeliverable parcels to the senders until every effort has been made to secure delivery to the addressee. If attention cannot be obtained at the address the parcel is again taken out by each delivery for two clear days, and before the final attempt at the end of that period a notice of non-delivery is left at the address. No charge is made for delivering parcels at a hall porter's office provided his office is in the same building as the addressee's flat. If it were situated in a separate building the question of a charge would arise, but in no case would this question be decided by the postman.