I remain, &c., &c., CLANRICARDE. R. HILL, Esq., &c., &c., &c. APPENDIX D. [See p. 111.] _Minute on the Sunday Duties of the Post Office._ _To the Postmaster-General._ 1. In obedience to your Lordship's instructions, I beg to submit my views as to further measures for reducing the Sunday duties of the Post Office, and as to other improvements connected therewith. 2. The importance of affording to all connected with the Post Office the utmost amount of rest on Sunday that is consistent with a due regard to public convenience having led to measures for the total suspension of money-order business on that day throughout England and Wales, it is very satisfactory to remark, that neither the announcement of the change, nor the experience of it thus far, has brought on the department a single complaint from the public; and I confidently anticipate like satisfactory results should the Treasury concur in your Lordship's recent recommendation of a similar measure in Ireland and Scotland. 3. Your Lordship will recollect that, in considering the above improvement, the importance of a similar relief as respects other duties was kept in mind; and, from the investigations which have been made, there can be no doubt that a further very important relief as relates to Sunday work may be effected in all the provincial offices. 4. The consideration of this question, however, is closely connected with that of a measure mainly relating to public convenience, but which, contrary to first appearances, proves on investigation to have a direct tendency towards the same object of Sunday relief. 5. The transmission of letters through London on the Sunday, your Lordship is aware, has long been a desideratum, having been recommended by the Commissioners of Post Office Inquiry in 1836 (7 Report, p. 9); and by a committee of the House of Commons in 1818 (3 Report, p. x.); and again suggested by several members of a committee of the House of Lords in 1847 (Report of the Select Committee. Ev. 430-445). 6. The obstacles to the adoption of these recommendations were, first, an assumption that it would increase the Sunday work of the department; second, a fear that it would lead to a Sunday delivery in London. 7. Both these apprehensions, as will be shown hereafter, are groundless. 8. Since the time when the above recommendations were made, the importance of the change has greatly increased, the Sunday average letters involved in the consideration having advanced since 1836 from 5000 or 6000 to 50,000 or 60,000, or ten-fold.