§ MR. O'HANLON (Cavan, E.)asked the Postmaster General, Whether a private letter carrier is being paid by the people of the district of Grangegeith and Slane since the 16th of August last year; whether, previous to this, some of them had to travel four and a half miles to have their letters posted; whether he will institute the inquiry which he promised last Session when this Question was put; whether the daily average of packets and letters is over 20; and, whether this number of letters would be sufficient to compensate the Government in having a permanent office appointed at Grangegeith?
§ THE POSTMASTER GENERAL (Mr. RAIKES) (Cambridge University)A private letter carrier is, I learn, employed by the people living in the Grangegeith district to fetch their letters from the Slane Post Office. Grangegeith is 3½miles from Slane, and some of the persons living in the neighbourhood of Grangegeith would probably have to travel 4½ miles to post at Slane. The inquiry promised last Session was duly 542 made; but the average correspondence did not appear to warrant the establishment of a Post Office at Grangegeith, with a postman for conveying the letters from and to Slane. The daily average of packets and letters is believed to be considerably below 20; but further accounts will shortly be taken, with the view of ascertaining whether the circumstances are more favourable than formerly to the establishment of a Post.