§ MR. MAURICE HEALYI beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether his attention has been called to 913 the method in which the mails are transferred at Holyhead and Kingstown from steamer to train and vice versa, being merely carried on the backs of porters, this being necessarily a slow and tedious process, requiring, when there is a heavy mail, nearly half-an-hour at each side of the Channel; and whether the Postmaster General will take the opportunity of a new mail contract to initiate some speedier and more satisfactory method?
§ * MR. HANBURYThe question of altering the present method of transferring the mails to and from the steamers and trains at Holyhead and Kingstown has been under consideration for many years past, but the Companies with whom the decision rests have not seen their way to substitute machinery for the present system. The time occupied in transferring mails, passengers and luggage does not ordinarily exceed 14 minutes at Holyhead and 10 minutes at Kingstown. The matter is, however, now under the consideration of this Department and of the Board of Trade.
§ MR. MAURICE HEALYasked if the right hon. Gentleman could say what method was adopted in transferring the American mails?
§ * MR. HANBURYI only answered the question on behalf of the Post Office, and I should be glad if the hon. Member would put the question upon the Paper.