§ MR. CHARLES DEVLINI beg to ask the Postmaster-General whether, in view of the statement of the chairman of the Allan Line that Moville as a port of despatch and reception of mails had been abandoned because a saving of time would be effected, he will say if he is aware that a greater economy in time and distance could be effected by making Galway instead of Liverpool the port of despatch and reception of Canadian mails; and, if so, whether he proposes to take any action in the matter.
I beg also to ask the Postmaster-General whether, in view of the new arrangement that the steamers of the Canadian mail service shall no longer call at an Irish port, it is the intention of the Government to despatch all mail matter posted in Ireland and intended for Canada by way of Queenstown and New York; or whether such mails will be despatched from Liverpool by the Canadian mail steamers; and, if so, will he say when such mails will be made up in Dublin, naming the day of the week and will he say what day of the week they would be made up it the Canadian mail steamers visited as heretofore an Irish port.
I beg further to ask the Postmaster-General whether, seeing that the mail steamers from Great Britain to Canada have always called at an Irish port for the purpose of landing or taking Irish mails, that it is now arranged in connection with this mail service that an Irish port shall no longer be visited, and that inconvenience and delay in the matter of the distribution of mail matter in Ireland will be caused by this arrangement, he will make representations and take such steps as will secure that an Irish port shall be visited as heretofore.
§ MR. SYDNEY BUXTONThe question of the call of the Canadian mail packets at Moville is still I understand under consideration. When the proposed change first came to my knowledge I informed the Canadian Government that I could not regard the abandonment of the call with favour, in view of the serious disadvantages to which it would give rise in this country and especially in Ireland; and I have entered a formal 96 protest against the proposed change. The direct Canadian mail service across the Atlantic is, however, performed under contract with the Dominion Government and not with the British Post Office. Until the service is settled I cannot say how mails will be despatched.
In reply to a further question the right hon. Gentleman said he had no actual control over the matter.