§ MR. M. MCCARTAN (Down, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that considerably the shortest way from Belfast and north of Ireland to London is by Killough, county Down, and Holyhead; that there is now a good railway service between Belfast and Killough, and that if a good harbour were made at Killough a saving of some hours each day could be made in the transmission of mails; and if he wall make inquiry into the matter with the view of seeing if anything can be reasonably 514 done to facilitate the carrying of mails and passengers, and to reduce the cost thereof between the north of Ireland and England?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (Mr. GERALD BALFOUR,) Leeds, CentralThis Question seems to be mainly one for the Postmaster General. I have made inquiry as to the harbour at Killough, and am informed that it is a small, private harbour, dry at low water, and only to be entered by largo fishing boats at high water. This would not afford much promise that the scheme suggested in the Question could be carried out without an inordinate expenditure of money.
§ MR. J. J. CLANCY (Dublin Co., N.)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, will he explain why parcels posted in London at 4 p.m., and arriving in Dublin at 7 a.m. the following morning, are kept in the Parcels Office in Dublin for 11 hours after arrival, and are not delivered in, say, Balbriggan (which is less than 20 miles distant from Dublin) till, after the lapse of 10 or 12 hours more; also why a parcel for Balbriggan, or any place between Drogheda and Dublin, posted in Belfast at night, and which actually passes Balbriggan at 4.30 in the morning, is brought on to Dublin, and is not delivered at its destination till late in the evening; and why, under the present arrangements, letters must be posted in Dublin before 5.35 p.m. to be delivered in Balbriggan or at any other place between Dublin and Drogheda, that same evening, whereas under the old arrangements the latest time was 10 minutes to 7; and whether steps will be taken to remove the public inconvenience caused by these arrangements?
§ * THE SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Mr. R. W. HANBURY,) PrestonAs the hon. Member has given me no notice of this Question, which only appeared on this morning's Paper, I cannot, of course, answer it.