§ MR. MACARTNEY (Antrim, S.)I beg to ask the Postmaster General if the connecting line across Dublin is now open and available for mail traffic between Kingston and the North of Ireland; whether a proposal for an acceleration of the London mail to the North has been made to the Post Office, to arrive in Belfast at 9.45 a.m., and Londonderry at 11.30 a.m.; whether an alternative proposal, also by the Dublin route, to run a special train immediately after the arrival of the mail packet each morning at Kingstown with the night mail from London, arriving at Belfast at 9 a.m. and Londonderry at 10.30 a.m., has been made; whether both these 1197 proposals provide for the delivery of a sorted mail, both at Belfast and Londonderry; whether such delivery is equivalent to the saving of three-quarters of an hour; and, what reply, if any, has been made to these proposals by the Post Office?
§ MR. RAIKESThe hon. Member has stated the facts with substantial accuracy. The whole subject is under the consideration of Her Majesty's Government, as my hon. Friend is no doubt aware.
§ MR. T. W. RUSSELL (Tyrone, S.)Will there be a delivery of assorted mails?
§ MR. SEXTONHow long is it since the subject was referred to the Treasury, and will the right hon. Gentleman say whether the proposal has been considered in connection with the Larne and Stranraer route?
§ MR. RAIKESThe matter has been under the consideration of the Treasury now for two or three months. Constant communications have been passing between the Treasury and the Post Office with the view of arriving at a final decision. Negotiations are now proceeding between the Post Office and the different Railway Companies. I am not in a position at present to answer the question of the hon. Member for South Tyrone (Mr. T. W. Russell), and I will ask him to put it on the Paper.