§ MR. THOMAS O'DONNELL (Kerry, W.)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether he is aware that, contrary to custom, twelve of the eighteen sorting clerks and telegraphists sent from the General Post Office, Dublin, to meet the homeward mail, ex "Campania," on 29th March last, were sent back to Dublin by 4 p.m. train on that date, leaving only six to deal with the Irish portion landed; that as a result the entire Irish-American newspaper mail was delayed, and letters for Belfast and other northern towns were delayed, thus preventing the possibility of persons answering communications in time for despatch by Cunard route, on 30th March; and, having regard to these facts, and seeing that the American letters which should have been sent out by the 7 a.m. delivery were delayed until the 12 (noon) delivery, whether the Postmaster General will issue instructions for the old system to be adhered to by leaving the entire force of sorting clerks and telegraphists sent to meet homeward American mails to work off in the Dublin and Queenstown General Post Office the Irish portion when landed.
§ MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINWhen it became known at Queenstown on the afternoon of Friday, the 29th March, that the "Campania" would arrive at an hour at which it would be expedient to land only the mails for Ire land, twelve of the eighteen sorting 442 officers who had travelled down from Dublin with the outward American mails of the previous day were sent back to Dublin by the 4 p.m. train, as stated by the hon. Member. This course was adopted in order to avoid unnecessary expense, as six officers were quite sufficient to deal with the American letters for Ireland on the mail train to Dublin. None of the letters were delayed under this arrangement; and although the newspapers could not be disposed of after arrival at Dublin so quickly as the letters, the Postmaster General would not be justified in incurring the expense of employing a considerable number of sorters in the mail train for the sole purpose of expediting the delivery of newspapers.