MR. PATRICK O'BRIENI beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether the Postmaster General has received a memorial from the inhabitants of Kilmessan, county Meath, asking for an improved night mail and the establishment of a day mail service; whether the important service asked for could be given by sending the mails by the Midland Railway system, which has its junction at Kilmessan and goes direct to all the principal towns of Meath, instead of as at present by the Great Northern line via Drogheda and Navan, a very indirect route; whether a telegraph office has been asked for and the usual guarantee offered; and, whether, as Kilmessan is an important railway junction and the centre of a most important hunting district, he will see that the accommodation asked for is given?
§ MR. HANBURYThe Postmaster General has received the memorial in question. For a day mail service to Kilmessan there are trains available on the Midland Great Western Railway, but, unfortunately, the correspondence is not large enough to justify the outlay involved for conveyance of the bags and for delivery of the letters. The improvement of the night mail desired is not connected with the use of the Midland Great Western Railway, but is 435 pendent upon a rearrangement of the road service from Navan. In this case also, the expense involved is considerably greater than the additional facilities to be afforded would warrant, and the Postmaster General regrets he cannot see his way to meet the wishes of the memorialists. A telegraph office has been asked for in the same memorial, and it has been offered under a guarantee. The Postmaster General has caused careful inquiries to be made and he fears that unless the guarantee be forthcoming he will not be in a position to give the accommodation asked for.