§ MR. S. YOUNG (Cavan, E.)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, with reference to the proposed acceleration of the mails by one hour between Euston and Kingstown, whether he is aware of the great convenience it would be to merchants in Belfast and generally throughout the provinces to receive the London mails an hour earlier in the morning, and to be allowed an hour later in the evening for posting replies; and whether, considering that such an arrangement would give two hours longer each day for attending to the letters from London, he would make an effort to have it carried out?
§ THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY (Mr. R. W. HANBURY,) PrestonThe Postmaster General does not doubt that the receipt of the English mail an hour earlier in the morning and the dispatch of the English mail an hour later at night would be received in Belfast and in Ireland generally with much satisfaction, but no such arrangement would be possible without disregarding other considerations of equal moment, and, as he explained to the deputation from the Irish Chamber of Commerce which waited on him on 1344 Friday, he is not in a position to give effect to such an arrangement.
§ MR. T. J. CONDON (Tipperary, E.)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether he is aware that the mails between Dublin and Clonmel missed the connection at the Limerick Junction on three successive days during the present week, and that, in consequence, the English and Dublin letters did not arrive in Clonmel until five hours after due time, thereby causing serious inconvenience and loss as well as general inconvenience to the merchants and traders of Clonmel through the loss of a day's post; and, what steps can be taken to compel the Great Southern and Western and Waterford and Limerick Railway Companies to discharge their respective duties to the public for which they are paid from the public purse?
§ MR. MICHAEL AUSTIN (Limerick, W.)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether, in view of the fact that for the third time in succession the English and Dublin mails missed the connection at Limerick Junction, immediate arrangements could be made for the running of a special train from Limerick Junction to Limerick when the morning mail train is late?
§ MR. HANBURYI beg to answer the Questions of the hon. Members for West Limerick and East Tipperary together. As I informed the hon. Member for West Limerick last Friday, the question of the connection between the mail trains at Limerick Junction is to be considered in the pending negotiations with the railway company for a new contract.