§ Mr. MELLERasked the Home Secretary whether he will consider the desirability of extending or varying the hours of the Lost Property Office of the Metropolitan Police so as to meet the convenience of people in search of property lost in public vehicles who are 2184W unable to visit the office between the present hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.?
§ Mr. CLYNESThis question has been considered on several occasions, but I regret that it is not possible to extend the hours of opening without giving rise to difficulties of staffing and consequent expense. The hours have to be restricted to enable the staff before opening to classify and record the articles handed in at police stations on the previous day, so that they may be in a position to deal at once with claimants who may call, and after closing they have much to do by way of completing their day's records. I would add that every effort is made to effect identification of property by means of correspondence, if the loser is unable to call personally.