§ CAPTAIN DONELAN (Cork, E.)On behalf of the hon. Member for West Kerry (Sir THOMAS ESMONDE), I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, in view of the loss and inconvenience which the traders and general public of Tralee have suffered on account of the irregular deliveries of the English day mails during the past 12 months, will he take the necessary steps to have the English mails conveyed from Kingstown to Killarney and Tralee by the accelerated trains?
§ MR. HANBURYThe irregularities in the delivery at Tralee of the English day mails referred to, have arisen through the failure of connection at Limerick Junction between the down day mail train from Dublin and the branch mail train from Limerick Junction to Tralee. Owing to the branch line being single, the Waterford, Limerick and Western Railway are unable to detain their trains beyond a certain very limited time for the mail train from Dublin when that is running late, but endeavours will be made, when the Mail Contract is renewed, to arrange for the connection to be rendered more secure. The connection at Limerick Junction was lost 30 times during the year 1895, the principal cause being loss of time by the Packet, through storm, etc., on the voyage from Holyhead to Kingstown. The Postmaster General is not certain what accelerated trains the hon. Member refers to, but if the reference is to season trains for tourist purposes, which are said to be in contemplation, the Postmaster General, on learning the hours of working, will consider whether they can be used with advantage for the Mail Service.
§ Mr. J. P. FARRELL (Cavan, W.)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, if he is aware that the limited mail train carrying the mails leaves Dublin at 6.45 a.m.; that a delay of 40 minutes takes place at Dundalk Station; that the mails are then sent by ordinary train, reaching Cavan at 11.20 a.m., and Belturbet at 11.25 a.m.; that the delivery of letters takes place in Cavan about 12 noon, and Belturbet 12.15 p.m.; that the outgoing return limited mail letters have to be posted in 197 each place at 1 p.m., thereby rendering it impossible for the Cavan pork and butter merchants and Belturbet Dairy Company owners to reply to their English correspondents, which entails on them an additional cost for telegrams unless they wish to lose their markets; and whether he will inquire into the midday postal service throughout the Western Division of Cavan, with a view to changing the time of arrival of mails to an earlier hour, and the departure of the return mails to a later hour each day?
§ MR. HANBURYThe facts are generally as stated by the hon. Member. A short interval for reply to English letters is afforded, and this is the best arrangement which the trains available will permit. Additional trains at the cost of the Post Office would not, it is feared, be warranted, but inquiry shall be made whether any improvement is practicable.