§ MR. HOWELL (Denbigh Boroughs)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster-General, whether his attention has been called to the serious inconvenience which is caused to the inhabitants of the borough of Ruthin by the recent alteration made in the time of the arrival of the letters for the second delivery from 1.45 p.m. to 2.31 p.m.; whether he is aware that letters dispatched to Ruthin from Chester (22 miles distant) are only delivered by first morning post at 7 a.m. and at 4.30 p.m.; and, whether he can see his way to an improvement of the postal service at Ruthin.
§ MR. HANBURYThe recent alteration in the time of arrival at Ruthin of letters for the second delivery was the result of changes in the train service in North Wales, which were rendered necessary by the later arrival at Chester of the Irish day mail train. The local trains from Chester to Denbigh and Ruthin are not under the control of the Post Office, but it is understood that the present arrangement by which the midday mail reaches Ruthin at 2.31 p.m. is the only arrangement compatible with the present working of the Irish day mail train. In regard to local letters from Chester to Ruthin, it has transpired that owing to some misapprehension they have not been dispatched from Chester by the train bringing the through mails, and they consequently did not arrive in time for the 2.50 p.m. delivery. Proper instructions in the matter have now been given.