HC Deb 04 February 1897 vol 45 cc1279-80
MR. J. P. FARRELL

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether, in view of the new time table for an accelerated mail service between England and Ireland, it would be possible to send on all mails for Cavan, Belturbet, and Enniskillen from Dundalk immediately on the arrival of the limited mail there each morning instead of, as at present, delaying the train's departure till 9 o'clock and then only sending the mails on a slow train?

MR. HANBURY

The question raised by the hon. Member shall be examined in connection with the revision of the daily mail service between Dublin and Belfast, but if the only way of effecting the improvement is by the establishment of additional trains at the cost of the Post Office, I fear it will not be practicable to meet the wishes of the inhabitants.

MR. PATRICK O'BRIEN

On behalf of the hon. Member for Dublin, College Green (Mr. J. L. CAREW), I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether he will see that provision is made in the new arrangement for the acceleration of the Irish mails for giving to passengers by the up and down day trains between London and Holyhead the same facilities for booking third class as are given at present to English and Scotch passengers by the same trains between London, Crewe, and Chester?

MR. HANBURY

No, Sir; it must be left to the Railway Company to determine what classes of traffic they can carry by the mail trains consistently with the due performance of the mail service for which they contract with the Postmaster General. The wish of the Irish representatives that provisions should be made in the trains for third class passengers to and from Ireland is well known to the Railway Company, but they have hitherto stated that they cannot see their way to make such provision.

MR. PATRICK O'BRIEN

When this train was first established it was specially for the conveyance of the passenger traffic to Ireland. Since then the Company began to use it for carrying English and Scotch passengers.

MR. SPEAKER

"Order, order!" The hon. Gentleman is replying upon the answer; he is not asking a question.

MR. PATRICK O'BRIEN

With all respect, the right hon. Gentleman has not answered the question—whether the Postmaster General has not power to prevent the using of the trains for carrying English and Scotch passengers when the Company will not give facilities to Irish passengers?

MR. HANBURY

What the Postmaster General has to consider is the carriage of the mails; he is not concerned with the passenger traffic at all.