HC Deb 06 May 1897 vol 48 cc1602-3
MR. SWIFT MACNEILL (Donegal, S.)

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, why letters arriving at Pettigo at 7 p.m. by the mail car from Bundoran and Ballyshannon are not delivered till 7 a.m. the day following, a reply by the return mail car which leaves Pettigo at 6 a.m. being thus rendered impossible by the detention for twelve hours of the letters in the post office at Pettigo; and, whether steps will be taken to remove this inconvenience and hindrance to business?

MR. HANBURY

Inquiry is being made on this subject, and the Postmaster General will communicate the result to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

MR. D. CRILLY (Mayo, K)

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, in view of the railway service which now exists between Ballina and Killala, in the county Mayo, he could arrange that the mails for Killala and the surrounding districts should be carried by rail to and from Killala, instead of by one-horse car to and from Ballina as at present; and whether he could make arrangements that the limited mail day train service should be extended to Killala?

MR. HANBURY

Although there is now a railway between Ballina and Killala, there are no trains running morning and evening which could be substituted with advantage for the mail car, and the establishment of trains at hours specially suited for the mail—that is, the night mail—would not be warranted. The existing night mail service is already carried on at a considerable loss to the revenue; and as regards the extension of the limited day mail service to Killala, it is regretted the answer must be in the negative. There are no trains between Ballina and Killala in connection with the limited day mail, even if a margin of revenue were available for the extension of that mail.