§ Mr. HOHLERasked the Postmaster-General, whether, having regard to the two robberies that have recently taken place at Gillingham, in the county of Kent, he will cause inquiry to be made as to the post office accommodation of that town; whether he is aware that the population of the town exceeds 40,000; that at times additional accommodation has to be acquired for the purpose of dealing with the postal business; that no one resides on the premises; and that the present post office premises are inadequate for the needs of the town, inconvenient for the officials, and insecure; and whether he will take steps to provide the town with a suitable post office?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELThe question of post office accommodation at Gillingham has already been receiving attention. Considerable alterations to the present office were carried out last year, and I think that, as so improved, the accommodation meets the requirements sufficiently well. It is not unusual in cases of this kind to have no one residing on the premises; but I am considering whether they can be made more secure. The lease of the premises has still some years to run, and in the meantime the circumstances do not seem to me to warrant the expense of a new office.