Mr. PATRICK O'BRIENOn behalf of the hon. Member for South Monaghan, I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that inconvenience is 655 caused to the people of Doagh, Corlea, Greaghlone, and neighbouring townlands, owing to the letters for that district being sent viâ Shercock, instead of from Carrickmacross as heretofore; whether he is aware that the route from Carrickmacross to Greaghlone was established upon the guarantee of Mr. Francis Lambe, which cost him £6 per annum for some years; whether he will restore the delivery of letters direct from Carrickmacross to Greaghlone which worked so well and conveniently to the people of the neighbourhood; whether he is aware that the new messenger from the Shercock route refused to deliver letters to Mr. Patrick Murray Doagh and Mr. Owen Lambe, and if he can state what steps he intends to take in reference to this postman; and whether he will refund the money paid by Mr. F. Lambe in establishing this postman's route from Carrickmacross to Greaghlone.
§ MR. HANBURYIt appears that some inconvenience has been caused to the inhabitants of the townlands referred to by the hon. Member, owing to letters for the district being sent for a time via Shercock, instead of from Carrickmacross as formerly. The post from Carrickmacross was extended to Greaghlone in February, 1891, under a guarantee of £5 4s. 4d. a year from Mr. Francis Lambe, but the guarantee was dispensed with in June, 1892, when the service 'became self-supporting. The delivery of letters direct from Carrickmacross to Greaghlone has now been restored. Some letters for Mr. Patrick Murray and Mr. Owen Lambe were not sent out for delivery, because arrangements for extending the free delivery to their houses had not then been completed; but a delivery on three days a week has now been established. The Postmaster General does not see any reason for refunding to Mr. F. Lambe the money paid by him under guarantee.
MR. PATRICK O'BRIENOn behalf of the hon. Member for South Monaghan, I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether he is aware that confusion exists in the district of Doagh and Greaghlone owing to the changes made in the delivery of letters; whether he is aware that no postman admits these and several other townlands as being in his 656 radius; whether he is aware that a letter was posted on 16th July in Middlesbrough for Mr. Patrick Connors, Doagh, Carrickmacross, which letter if sent by the usual route via Carrickmacross and Greaghlone would have been delivered on 17th July, but was not delivered until 24th July, and that several letters posted in Carrickmacross for Mr. Owen Lambe, Doagh, did not reach him for almost a week, although posted within a couple of miles of his house; and whether he will put a stop to the present confusion in letter delivery by arranging for a messenger direct to Greaghlone from Carrickmacross, as was the case since 1892.
§ MR. HANBURYThe Postmaster General regrets that there has been some confusion in the district of Doagh and Greaghlone, near Carrickmacross, owing to a misunderstanding as to the new arrangements for delivering letters. It appears that the letters referred to by the hon. Member were sent to a local post office without proper instructions having been given for their delivery, and thus sustained delay. Serious notice will be taken of this irregularity, and instructions have now been given for the direct service from Carrickmacross to Greaghlone to be resumed.