HC Deb 12 May 1887 vol 314 cc1689-90
MR. KENNEDY (Sligo, S.)

asked the Postmaster General, Whether a mail bag is despatched from the Irish Office on Sunday evenings to Euston to catch the Irish Mail; and, if so, whether he will offer any facilities to the public, by establishing one central office, for despatch of Irish letters on Sundays, and thereby do away with great inconvenience felt by Irish residents and others in London.

THE POSTMASTER GENERAL (Mr. RAIKES) (Cambridge University)

There is an arrangement by which a mail bag can be sent from the Irish Office when necessary; but, as a matter of fact, such a bag is not often sent. As regards the facilities for posting letters for Ireland by the public, as the hon. Member is, no doubt, aware, post offices in London are closed generally on Sunday; and I do not consider it necessary to make any change in this respect. There is, however, an arrangement by which letters for the Irish Mail (among other mails), if prepaid with an extra half penny stamp, can be pasted in a special letter-box at the Euston Railway Station all day up to 8.20 p.m. on Sunday, and this has hitherto been found sufficient to meet the requirements of the public.