Mr. DUNDAS WHITEasked the Postmaster-General whether his attention has been called to the fact that samples sent by parcels post from Japan to this country can be, and are, sent viâ the Siberian Railway, while samples sent by parcels post from this country to Japan cannot travel by that route, but have to be sent round by the ocean route; what are the average times of transit between London and Yokohama viâ the Siberian Railway and viâ the ocean route, respectively; what is the difference of time between them; whether representations have been made to him that this discrimination as to route operates to the disadvantage of British trade; and whether he will take steps to secure that samples sent by parcels post from this country to Japan may be sent viâ the Siberian Railway in the same way and under the same conditions as samples sent by parcels post from Japan to this country?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELThe hon. Member appears to be under a misapprehension, as samples sent by parcels post have for several years been forwarded to Japan from this country by the Siberian route. The time of transit is about twenty-five days—approximately the same as by the route of Vancouver, but the serviceviâ Vancouver is less frequent.