§ Mr. REESasked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that the mail-box at Charing Cross station for the posting of late-fee letters on Fridays for India and the East is at irregular intervals closed earlier than the time advertised in the "Post Office Guide"; and whether he can arrange for adequate notice to be given to the public when this is to be done?
§ Mr. SYDNEY BUXTONThe Railway Company find it necessary at times of exceptional pressure of traffic to run the mail train from Charing Cross direct to Dover instead of by way of Cannon-street Station. The late-fee bag from Charing Cross Station is normally taken by this train to Cannon-street, and there transferred to the sorting carriage, which starts from Cannon-street. On those rare occasions, when the Charing Cross train does not call at Cannon-street Station, this arrangement is not practicable, and in order that the letters may be dealt with in the sorting carriage on the journey to Dover they have to be taken by an earlier train to Cannon-street. The letter-box has, of course, to be cleared earlier on those occasions, and notice of the alteration is exhibited at the station at the2442W earliest possible moment. The only occasions during the present year on which the box has had to be cleared before the usual time were the Fridays preceding the Whitsun and August Hank Holidays.