MR. T. M. HEALYI beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether he is aware that the acceleration of the mails has led, in Dublin and neighbouring towns, to decreased postal facilities; by how much has the time for posting for morning mails in pillar boxes been abridged in Dublin itself; will he explain why no notice was given to the citizens, who could previously post up 4 a.m., that 1.15 a.m. is now the hour; have the proper labels been provided, notifying the new hours on the Dublin boxes; what do the Department gain by this deprivation of pre-existing facilities; is he aware that towns like Swords, which used to get their Irish letters at night, now only receive them next morning, while their English letters are delivered as usual every evening; and would it be possible not to withdraw pre-existing facilities, when inaugurating an accelerated mail service?
§ *THE SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Mr. R. W. HANBURY,) PrestonThe Postmaster General is aware that the alterations in Dublin and the neighbourhood consequent on the acceleration of the English mails rendered it impossible in some cases to avoid the disturbance of facilities to which the public had been accustomed. The time of posting in the early morning in pillar boxes, which was formerly from 3.30 to 4 a.m., has been 1454 abridged by periods varying from two and-a-half to four hours. An alteration in the time was necessary owing to the earlier departure of the provincial day mails: and, repeated experiments having shown that very few letters were posted after midnight, the present hours were adopted as being the most convenient for the arrangement of the duties of the staff. Apart from this there is no gain to the Department. The public were duly informed of the alteration by notices exhibited at the various post offices, at the clubs and hotels, as well as through the Press. The new notice plates for the letter boxes were ordered as soon as the hours of collection were finally settled and they will be issued without delay. Letters can still be posted at the General Post Office up to a short time before the dispatch of the mails. With regard to the effect of the acceleration on towns like Swords in the neighbourhood of Dublin, it should be explained that, previous to the acceleration, letters sent by the down night mail trains from Dublin reached such places in time for delivery by postman the same night, but the later departure of those mails by 50 minutes consequent on the later arrival in Dublin of the up day mails has made it impossible to continue that arrangement. Where possible, however, arrangements have been and are being made, for sending down the English day mail letters and such Dublin local letters as may be posted in time, by earlier trains, the letters being delivered by postman the same evening.
MR. T. M. HEALYasked whether he was to understand that there would be a rearrangement that would include such towns as Swords.
§ *MR. HANBURYI think with regard to the towns outside Dublin, some rearrangement might be made such as I have indicated in the last paragraph of my reply.
MR. T. M. HEALYasked whether that would include all the towns within a certain radius of Dublin, like Swords.
§ *MR. HANBURYI cannot say positively, because I cannot say what all the towns may be.
§ SIR THOMAS ESMONDE (Kerry, W.)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, what would be the cost of sending the English mails to Killarney 1455 and Tralee in the morning viâ Mallow; what representations have been made to the Great Southern and Western Railway upon the subject by the Post Office; and, for what price have that railway company offered to do the work?
*MR. ANBURYSeveral communicatsons with the Great Southern and Western Railway Company, written and verbal, have taken place respecting the desire which has been expressed for a day mail train to Killarney and Tralee viâ Mallow in connection with the accelerated service from England. The company have stated that they have no intention of establishing such a train for passenger purposes, and the payment which would be warranted for the mail service is too trifling to affect the question. The company have not therefore been asked for a price for the conveyance of the mails in this particular instance, but in another case 1s. 10d. a mile has been mentioned as a reasonable figure. This rate for a train in each direction between Mallow and Tralee, would represent a payment of £3,500 a year, whereas the letters to be benefited would warrant an additional outlay of only £130.
§ MR. J. P. FARRELL (Cavan, W.)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, will he consider the advisability of establishing a mid-day collection and delivery of letters in Coossdoney, county Cavan; and is he aware that this could most conveniently be done, as the midday trains which run from Dublin to Cavan and back again to Dublin, conveying the mails from Killshandra and Arva, stop at Crossdoney railway station; moreover that this mid-day collection would cause letters to be delivered in Dublin the day on which they are posted, and that the delivery would cause letters which reached Cavan from Dublin at 11.30 a.m. to be delivered at Crossdoney at 2 p.m. instead of the next day?
§ *MR. HANBURYThe question of establishing a mid-day collection and delivery of letters at Crossdoney, county Cavan, has been inquired into. The hon. Member accurately indicates the arrangements by which the accommodation desired might be afforded, but it is found that the letters are few in number and would not justify the expenses 1456 involved. The existing service is already carried on at a loss to the revenue. The Postmaster General regrets that in these circumstances he is unable to meet the wishes of the hon. Member.