§ MR. M'CARTAN (Down, S.)asked the Postmaster General, Whether he is aware that the limited mail train between Dublin and Belfast does not stop at Newry, although it is the largest town and the only Parliamentary borough between the terminal station; that application has lately been made to the Great Northern Railway Company of Ireland to stop the train at either Bessbrook or Gorah Wood for the accommodation of Newry, but that the Company replied this would require five minutes additional time from the postal authorities; and, whether he is prepared to grant this, or in any way to arrange with the Railway Company to enable them to meet the wishes of the people of Newry and district?
§ THE POSTMASTER GENERAL (Mr. RAIKES) (Cambridge University)The facts are substantially as put by the hon. Member. This question has been before me on several occasions; and the difficulty is that an allowance of five minutes additional time for the running of the train would involve a corresponding curtailment of postal accommodation at Belfast and Derry, and would to that extent, sacrifice time gained for mail purposes with much difficulty and expense. In the interests of those two important towns it appears feasible to sanction a stoppage of the day mail trains at Gorah Wood or Bessbrook only if the Railway Company would engage to make up, by increased speed, for the time which the stoppage would necessarily occupy.