§ MR. FLAVINI beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether he is aware that great public inconvenience has been caused for several years by the late arrival of Her Majesty's mails at Limerick, Rathkeale, Newcastle, and Listowel, and all the intervening stations and surrounding district, between Limerick Junction and Tralee, and that when the train connection at Limerick Junction fails (which is frequently three times a week) the arrival of the mails at Listowel and other important towns is eight hours late, and the answer in reply is also delayed seventeen hours; and whether, seeing that numerous complaints have been made from time to time by public bodies and commercial houses, owing to the inconvenience caused and loss sustained by the late arrival of the mails, some remedy can be applied to prevent a continuation of this grievance.
§ MR. HANBURYThe train connection referred to has failed fifteen times during the last five months, but during that period there has been only one week, that immediately preceding Christmas Day, in which three failures have occurred. There has only been one failure of junction within the last six weeks, and now that the outgoing American mails are no longer forwarded on Wednesdays by the ordinary night mail service to Ireland, one of the causes of delay has been removed. A return of the amount of correspondence delayed by these failures was taken some time ago, and as it appeared that the number of letters was very small, the Postmaster General did not feel justified in incurring the expense which would have been necessary to provide a remedy, but a fresh return is now being taken with the view of ascertaining whether the circumstances have altered. An answer shall be sent to the hon. Member as soon as possible.
§ MR. FLAVINWill the Postmaster General subsidise the local cycle company in order to ensure the more rapid delivery of Her Majesty's mails?
§ MR. SPEAKEROrder, order!