§ MR.M'GOVERN (Cavan, W.)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether he is aware that the Secretary of the General Post Office has received a letter from the Secretary of the Cavan and Leitrim Railway Company, dated the 4th instant, stating that, unless the subsidy for carrying the mails was increased, the railway company would discontinue the service; can he state what objection the Department has to pay parcels rates for the conveyance of its mails, as it offered to do in 1890, and do the Department intend to deprive the districts served by this company during 1332 the past nine years of any day mail in the future in order that it may save a sum of £40 or £50 a year.
§ MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINA letter has been received from the Cavan and Leitrim Railway Company intimating that they will consider the question of discontinuing the mail service unless they receive such an increase in the payment as they consider reasonable. The Postmaster General is, however, advised that the company cannot refuse to convey the mails, as under the Cavan, Leitrim, and Roscommon Light Railway Order they are bound to perform all such reasonable services in regard to the conveyance of mails as the Postmaster General may require. As explained to the hon. Member a day or two ago, the work performed by the company in respect of the conveyance of mail bags is very much less than in respect of ordinary parcels for the public, and the Postmaster General therefore considers that he would not be justified in paying at parcel rates for the conveyance of mails.