§ MR. E. PRESTON BRUCE (Fifeshire, W.)asked the Postmaster General, Whether his attention has been called; to the delay in the delivery of letters at Leslie, Markineh, and neighbourhood, which has resulted from the now arrangements of trains through Fife in connection with the opening of the Tay Bridge; whether he is aware that serious inconvenience is being suffered by the manufacturers and other business men in this district; and, whether he will make inquiry into this matter, and take steps to remedy the inconvenience complained of as soon as possible?
§ THE POSTMASTER GENERAL (Mr. RAIKES) (Cambridge University)In reply to the Question of the hon. Member, I beg to state that I am aware of the inconvenience occasioned at Leslie, Markineh, and neighbouring places by the later time (about 20 minutes) at which letters are now delivered, consequent upon a change in the working through Fife, since the opening of the Tay Bridge, of train service over which I have no control. The change has been made by the Railway Company for their own purposes, and I have ascertained that they are unwilling to revert to the old hours. To remedy the inconvenience complained of by running a special mail train to serve the several towns affected would, I very much regret to add, involve an expenditure far greater than the circumstances of the case justify. I shall, however, not neglect to press the matter again upon the Directors.