§ MR. WILLIAM JOHNSTON (Belfast, S.)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, if he can state the reason why the mails are still conveyed from Downpatrick to Ardglass by car and not by the railway, which was opened on 8th July 1892; and whether, on the expiration of the existing contract, if any, the mails will be conveyed by train between Ardglass and Downpatrick?
THE SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Mr. R. W. HANBUEY,) PrestonThe reason for conveying the mails from Downpatrick to Ardglass by car and not by railway is that the mails reach Ardglass by car at 7.35 a.m., while the first 1326 train does not arrive there until 9.18 a.m. If, hereafter, the Company should run for their own purposes trains at hours suitable for the mail service, the question of sending the bags by railway can be further considered; but the case is not one in which special expense would be justified in order to secure the running of trains at times when they are not required for ordinary traffic.