§ MR. M'CARTAN (Down, S.)I beg to ask the Postmaster General whether he is aware that, by the proposed mail route from London,viâ Stranraer and Larne, to Belfast and the North of Ireland, the English mails would reach Belfast at 8.47 a.m., Ballymena at 9.2 a.m., and Derry at 11.22 a.m., whereas the earliest hour at which the English mails, viâHolyhead. now reach Belfast is 10.25 a.m.; whether he will state at what time they reach Derry and Ballymena; and whether, considering the great advantage which these and many other towns in Ulster would derive from the accelerated service by Larne and Stranraer, he will state when he can give a definite answer as to the adoption of this route?
§ MR. RAIKESI am not unaware of the advantages which might be expected from the adoption of the Larne route, but a proposal has been made to me for an acceleration of the existing service from Dublin to Belfast, and this must be carefully examined in conjunction with the first scheme. According to the Time Table furnished in connection with the proposal to which the hon. Member refers, the English mails would be due at the times mentioned. They now reach Derry at 12.15 p.m., and Ballymena at 12.18 p.m.
§ MR. JOHNSTON (Belfast, S.)May I ask the right hon. Gentleman if he has not been carefully considering the subject for some time with the view of solving the difficulty?
§ MR. RAIKESNo time will be lost by me in arriving at a decision.