§ Mr. R. McNEILLasked the Postmaster-General if he is aware of the dissatisfaction that prevails with regard to the postal service in parts of East Kent; that at Sturry, near Canterbury, although throughout the War down to September, 1918, there was no ground for complaint, since that date the service has been gravely defective, partly owing to the discontinuance of the mail van between Canterbury and Herne Bay; that in consequence of the alteration of hours of dispatch and receipt of letters, respectively, business men in the Sturry neighbourhood have not sufficient time to answer London letters on the same day as their receipt; that letters posted in Sturry are not delivered tile same day at Herne Bay, a few miles distant, or at Ramsgate, Margate, Dover, and other parts of East Kent, while in some cases it takes several days for letters to travel between the places mentioned; and if he will take prompt measures to restore efficiency to the postal service in this district?
§ Mr. ILLINGWORTHI have made inquiries with regard to the postal services in East Kent. Deliveries at Sturry begin at 7.15 a.m. and 2 p.m. The letter box at the Post Office is cleared at 12.50 p.m. and 7 p.m. Letters for Herne Bay, Ramsgate, Margate, and Dover posted at Sturry in time for the mid-day dispatch should now be delivered on the same day. Tenders have been invited for a motor service between Canterbury and Herne Bay, and I hope it will be possible shortly to restore it. I regret that the inquiries have delayed the reply to the hon. Member's question.?