Mr. S. BENNasked if parcels for soldiers in the British Expeditionary Force abroad cannot be taken by the Post Office if they weigh over 7 lbs., and cannot be taken by the railways if they weigh less than 11 lbs.; and, if so, by what means can parcels weighing between 7 lbs. and 11 lbs. be forwarded to men at the front?
§ Mr. FORSTERParcels between 7 lbs. and 11 lbs. in weight were originally accepted by the General Post Office, but in order to assist the transport services in France to cope with the greatly increased number of parcels consequent on the increase in the Armies in the field, it was decided that the General Post Office should no longer convey parcels over 7 lbs. in weight. As no relief to the transport in France would have been afforded, had such parcels merely been transferred to the Military Forwarding Officers, it was also decided that they could not be accepted by the railway companies for transmission via Southampton.