§ MR. CLANCYI beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether he is aware that the morning delivery of letters at Ballyboghill and Damastoun, a journey of scarcely two hours by road from Dublin, takes place at present about L2 noon; and whether there is any possibility of improving the postal service in that part of the county of Dublin.
§ MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINThe mails are due at the places named at 10.5 a.m. and 10.15 a.m. respectively, and the morning deliveries commence soon after those hours. In both cases the deliveries include the letters received in Dublin in the morning by the night mails from England. The cost of the postal services in both districts considerably exceeds the revenue from the correspondence, and the Postmaster General regrets that in the circumstances he would not be justified in incurring additional expenditure in either case, with the view of affording an improved postal service.
§ MR. CLANCYThen are we to understand that the public convenience is made dependent on the question whether or not the service will prove remunerative?
§ MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINThat is one of the circumstances which have to be weighed in considering whether postal facilities shall be extended in any particular place. There are of course other circumstances to he taken into account.