§ MR. M'CARTANI beg to ask the Postmaster General whether his attention has been called to the proceedings at the adjourned meeting of Ballymena Town Commissioners on Wednesday last, from 867 which it appears that during the last six weeks the delivery of letters in Ballymena from London and other parts of England was very irregular and invariably late; that on the 7th October it was four hours and 20 minutes late, and on the 18th October it was nearly two hours behind time; whether he is aware that the delay is entirely due to the irregularity in the English train service, and that no complaint can be made as to the time kept by the steamer from Stranraer to Larue; and whether he will take steps to ensure the punctual arrival of the train at Stranraer?
§ THE POSTMASTER GENERAL (Mr. A. MORLEY,) Nottingham, E.My attention has not been called to the proceedings of the Ballymena Town Commissioners at the meeting referred to, but I find there has been much difficulty of late in maintaining punctuality in the working of the night mail train from London to Stranraer. The long delay on the 7th ultimo was occasioned by an engine running off the line, and waggons were off the line on the 26th ultimo also. Perhaps the delay arising from this last-mentioned accident is that alluded to as occurring on the 18th ultimo, as I am not in possession of any information accounting for a long delay on the latter date. The hon. Member may rest assured that the Department will do all in its power to ensure greater regularity, but it must not be overlooked that the service throughout is very rapid, and that there is practically no margin in which to make up for loss of time on any part of the journey.