§ MR. MARUMasked the Postmaster General, Whether his attention has been called to a Correspondence between the Secretary of the Waterford and Central Ireland Railway Company and Mr. Harley, of the General Post Office, Dublin, whereby it appears that this Company have to run the mail as an extra train from Maryboro' to Water-ford and back, a distance of 120 miles, and yet are only paid for 60 miles at 1s.3d. per mile, as compared with 3s. per mile paid to a neighbouring Company; and further, that the new times of the mail do not suit the local traffic, so that the Company are losing money by the transaction, and will be unable to continue the service if not properly remunerated; whether it is a fact that this Company receives only £1,200 per annum for 60 miles, as compared with £2,059 paid to a neighbouring Company for 44 miles service; and, whether inquiry will be instituted, with a view of adjusting these inequalities and obviating the great detriment to the local public that would arise from the stoppage of the present Mail Service over the Railway line in question, and which is now imminent?
§ MR. SHAW LEFEVREThe Water-ford and Central Ireland Railway is under contract with the Post Office to run a mail train in connection with the day mail from Dublin over a part only of their line—namely, from Kilkenny to Waterford, and not over the whole of it, as the hon. Member appears to think. The Company apparently desire that the agreement should be extended over the other half of their line in substitution for the service now rendered by a competing Railway Company. I should be unable to agree to this course, and cannot admit that the Company has any ground for complaint.