HC Deb 18 March 1897 vol 47 cc936-7
MR. G. MURNAGHAN (Tyrone Mid)

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether he is aware that the delay in the delivery of the mails in several towns in the North of Ireland causes very serious inconvenience and considerable loss to the inhabitants of these towns; whether he is aware that the forenoon delivery which leaves the Belfast post office at 10.20 a.m. only reaches the office of the Irish News, a distance of less than half it mile, at 12.15 p.m., a delay of almost two hours; and if, when making arrangements to accelerate the carriage of mails to and from Ireland, he will also provide for their speedy delivery?

MR. HANBURY

The Postmaster General is not aware that there is delay in the delivery of the mails in several towns in the North of Ireland, causing serious inconvenience to the public, but he has ordered an inquiry into the matter. As regards Belfast, it is true that the forenoon delivery at the office of the Irish News has lately been made after the proper time, and this appear to have arisen from the temporary employment as substitute for the regular postman of a man less acquainted with the route. Arrangements will at once be made for restoring punctuality.

MR. FLAVIN

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, if any communications have been addressed by the Post Office authorities to the Irish Railway Companies in reference to the acceleration of the mail service; if so, to what companies; and whether he can state when the proposed new mail arrangements will be effected?

MR. HANBURY

The Secretary of the Post Office in Dublin has been instructed to enter into communication on the subject in question with the Irish Railway Companies owning the lines from Dublin to Belfast and Derry, Galway, Cork, and Wexford, and to make arrangements for carrying out the necessary alterations on those lines on the 1st of May; and he is now engaged in this matter. Most of the towns on the Waterford and Limerick Railway will also be provided for by the same date; but it will not be possible to extend the arrangements to the remoter districts of Ireland until after the alterations on the main lines have been carried out.

MR. FLAVIN

Have these instructions been sent to the Railway Company?

MR. HANBURY

Yes; they were sent some days ago.

CAPTAIN DONELAN (Cork K)

Can the right hon. Gentleman say what additional interval will be gained under the new arrangement?

MR. HANBURY

I think the mails to Cork will arrive 40 minutes earlier and leave 50 minutes later.