§ Mr. BRYCEasked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware of the long intervals, sometimes of six or eight weeks, which elapse between the deliveries of mails addressed to members of His Majesty's Forces in Palestine, and of the numerous and repeated thefts which occur in the case of parcels; whether these defects are due to divided responsibility in the handling of the mails; and whether he is prepared to take steps for their removal?
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§ Mr. ILLINGWORTHThe mails for the Egyptian Expeditionary Force are dispatched at frequent intervals from the United Kingdom, and it is seldom that the interval between their arrivals in Egypt is more than a fortnight. I understand that mails are forwarded to the front without any avoidable delay. I have no information that thefts from parcels for this force are numerous and repeated. I shall be glad to make full inquiry into any cases of which I am furnished with particulars.