§ MR. HENNIKER HEATON (Canterbury)I beg to ask the Postmaster General whether his attention has been called to the fact that there is no direct mail communication between England and Alderney, which is a military station, and is the nearest of the Channel Islands to both England and France; whether it is true that a letter posted in London after 9 p.m. on a Monday would only be delivered in Alderney on the following Saturday, the distance by sea being 49 miles from the island to Portland; whether the Deputy Inspector General of Mails, about 18 months ago, informed a deputation on the subject that "the best would be done to secure for the people of Alderney a direct mail service to England"; and whether, in view of the fact that British mailboats daily pass and repass the island without stopping to deliver mails, anything has been or is about to be done in fulfilment of that undertaking?
§ MR. A. MORLEYThis subject has received careful consideration, but no arrangement is practicable for affording a direct mail between England and Alderney. A letter posted in time for the night mail from London of Monday would be delivered at Alderney on Tuesday. If posted too late for Monday's mail, it would be despatched to Guernsey on Tuesday night, and would now be delivered at Alderney on Saturday, the postal service to Alderney during the winter being on Tuesdays and Saturdays. The deputation referred to were informed that the Department would be glad to arrange a better service within the limit of the present expenditure, which is very large as compared with the revenue from the letters, but no expectation was held out of a direct service with England. The matter shall not be lost sight of.