§ MR. T. J. HEALY (Wexford, N.)I beg to ask the Postmaster General why the Postal Authorities consider the morning mail train from Dublin to Wexford the less important, seeing that all the English letters are carried by that train; whether he is aware that the only other mail train from Dublin to Wexford takes nine hours to perform a journey of 92 miles; and whether he is prepared to advise any increase towards the acceleration of the mail train which carries the English mails?
§ SIR J. FERGUSSONThe morning mail train from Dublin to Wexford conveys about half the volume of correspondence conveyed by the evening mail train, and for that reason was referred to as the less important of the two. It is true that the night mail is about nine hours on the road, there 1244 being a break in the journey, but the train reaches Wexford at the conveniently early hour of 5 a.m. It is feared that it would be useless to reopen negotiations for an acceleration of the day mail train.
§ MR. T. J. HEALYWill the right hon. Gentleman answer the paragraph which refers to the contribution?
§ SIR J. FERGUSSONI have answered that several times already, to the effect that unfortunately the service is carried on at a loss, and, therefore, I cannot ask the Treasury to make any contribution.