§ Sir A. HOLBROOKasked the Postmaster-General whether the new week-end postal arrangements will interfere with letters posted on Saturday being obtainable on demand at provincial head post offices on Sunday; whether the special Sunday collection of letters with late fee at certain London post offices for delivery in the country by the first post on Monday will be discontinued; and whether he is aware that if these facilities are discontinued it will involve a serious increase in postal telegraphic work on Sunday?
§ Mr. PEASEI regret it will not be practicable to provide a delivery to callers on Sundays, inasmuch as in many cases the mails will not be conveyed to the local offices, and if conveyed they will not be opened or sorted. The special Sunday collections from certain offices in London, of which very little use is made, have also been discontinued. In order to meet urgent requirements, special arrangements have been made for the acceptance on Sunday of express letters between certain offices in London and some of the largest provincial towns. I doubt if there will be any material increase in telegraphic work on Sundays.
§ Captain W. BENNasked the Postmaster-General whether his attention has been called to the inconvenience caused by the suspension of the collection and dispatch of mails from Edinburgh to London on Sunday; and whether he will consider the retention of the dispatch by the 6.20 p.m. train from Edinburgh to the South in order to permit the collection of letters from Edinburgh and Leith post offices, omitting pillar boxes, for delivery in London at 7 a.m. on Monday?
§ Mr. PEASEI regret that I am not in a position to make any exception to the rule that there shall be no general dispatch of mails on Sundays. Under the special arrangements which have already been announced in the Press, urgent letters will be accepted at the General Post Office, Edinburgh, for express dispatch to London on Sundays, upon payment of a special fee of 1s. for each letter.