HC Deb 17 February 1899 vol 66 cc1273-4
MR. W. REDMOND

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster-General, whether his attention has been called to the inconvenience caused by the fact that the mails are frequently many hours delayed in delivery in Ennis and Clare generally; and whether the Post Office will do anything to meet the difficulty?

MR. HANBURY

The honourable Member probably refers to the late arrival of the daily mail at Ennis and other places in Clare. The daily mail train from Dublin has occasionally reached Limerick Junction too late to connect with the daily mail train to Limerick and Ennis, and the mails have been kept over on such occasions for the next train. The delay has been due to stormy weather, fog, or pressure of traffic and heavy American mails. The Department has frequently urged the Waterford and, Limerick Company to detain their trains at Limerick Junction for the purpose of maintaining the connection, but the Company have not seen their way to agree to more than a brief detention. The circumstances do not justify the employment of special trains when failures occur.

MR. W. REDMOND

Are we to understand that it is out of the power of the Post Office authorities to make arrangements to prevent these delays which continually occur?

MR. HANBURY

It is difficult to avoid them. We are making the best arrangements we can at Limerick Junction.

MR. W. REDMOND

If this case were in England, would not the authorities take some stepsߞߞ

MR. SPEAKER

Order, order.

MR. W. REDMOND

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury when arrangements can be made for house to house delivery of letters in the districts of Shepperton, Clenagh, Rhinana, New-market-on-Fergus, and Stonehall, in county Clare?

MR. HANBURY

The extension of the house to house delivery, of letters in the country districts of Ireland is being carried out as rapidly as possible. Proposals for establishing deliveries in the districts in county Clare mentioned by the honourable Member are under consideration at the present moment, and it is hoped to bring the necessary arrangements into operation at an early date.