§ MR. DOOGAN (Tyrone, E)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, if he is aware that the English night mail which is due in Cookstown at 9.55 did not arrive in that town till after twelve (noon) on 30th July, 31st July, 1st August, and also on one day in the preceding week; and whether, seeing that these frequent delays, which cause so much inconvenience to the inhabitants of the towns of Cookstown, Coolisland, and Stewartstown, result from the late arrival of the mail steamer at Kingstown, steps will be taken to provide that the 79 English night mail will not in future be delayed in transit, and that the steamer will arrive at Kingstown in due time.
§ MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINThe Postmaster General regrets to find that the English mail was late in arrival at Cookstown on the occasions referred to by the hon. Member. In one case the delay was due to the mail packet from Holyhead having been delayed by fog in the Channel, while on the other occasions the delay was due to the amount of passenger traffic on the railways. The London and North-Western Railway Company found it necessary to run the Irish night mail train in two parts, and as the mail packet has to await the arrival at Holyhead of the second part, it could not be despatched until considerably after the appointed time. The London and North Western Company have been urged to take all possible measures for securing punctuality, and representations have also been addressed to the Great Northern of Ireland Railway Company, who were responsible for a considerable part of the delay on two of the occasions.
§ MR. CREAN (Cork, S.E.)Does not the ordinary express do the journey in less time than the mail?
§ MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINI cannot answer that without notice.