HC Deb 24 July 1896 vol 43 cc597-9
SIR THOMAS ESMONDE (Kerry, W.)

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, if he will give an undertaking that the proposed arrangements for the new postal service between Ireland and England will not be put in force without an opportunity being given for discussing the same in Parliament next Session?

MR. HANBURY

It would not be possible to carry out the accelerated service between Ireland and England on the 1st April next if the suggestion of the hon. Member for West Kerry were adopted and the arrangements were to be left undecided until next Session.

SIR T. ESMONDE

As this is a matter of very great importance, might I ask whether an opportunity will be given for discussing it before the end of the Session?

MR. HANBURY

I am afraid not, as I do not think there is any Vote or Estimate upon which the opportunity would arise.

SIR T. ESMONDE

As this arrangement is most unsatisfactory, we shall have to consider what steps should be taken.

CAPTAIN DONELAN (Cork, E.)

Might I ask whether the right hon. Gentleman would give an undertaking that these arrangements will not be entered into prior to the proposed conference on the subject between the Post Office Department and the various public bodies interested?

MR. HANBURY

I will find out whether the Post Office can give that assurance, but I cannot personally give it now.

MR. J. C. FLYNN (Cork, N.)

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, with reference to the proposed changes in the mail service between Dublin and London—(1) whether he will insist on the saving of an hour on all the four services between Euston and Kingstown; (2) whether he will arrange that the time so saved will be utilised by making the hour of leaving one hour later in all the mail services except the night train from Euston; and (3) whether he will embrace the opportunity for providing third class accommodation for passengers on the mail trains between Holyhead and Euston?

MR. HANBURY

I answered a similar Question yesterday. The main objection to delaying the departure of the mails for an hour, either from Dublin or from Loudon is, in the first place, that it would cost a great deal of trouble to the Post Office to have the delivery an hour later in London or in Dublin; and, in the next place, by delaying these trains an hour a connection would be missed at Cheshire with Warrington and the North; and as one train certainly from London carries both the Scotch and the Irish mails, the proposed delay would necessitate having an extra train.

MR. FLYNN

asked for an answer to the portion of his Question having reference to the saving on the four services between Euston and Kingstown.

MR. HANBURY

The Post Office will insist on saving half an hour by the boat, and, as I have already explained, there is to be a saving of half an hour by the railway.

MR. FLYNN

requested an answer to the third paragraph of his Question.

MR. HANBURY

No; the Postmaster General has no power to enforce that.

MR. W. FIELD (Dublin, St. Patrick)

Will pressure be brought to bear upon the London and North Western Railway Company to provide similar facilities on their line as are provided all over the country on other lines?

MR. HANBURY

As a matter of fact, the Irish mails are carried more rapidly than the Scotch.