§ MR. MOONEY (Newry)I beg to ask the Postmaster-General if he can state at what, if any British tidal ports he has recently curtailed the hours during which the post offices are open for telegraphic and other public business; if he can likewise state at what Irish tidal ports he has recently curtailed public postal facilities; 718 on what grounds, if any, has this change been made; in cases where such change has been made, have the local municipal or harbour authorities been consulted; if not, will he state on what information he has acted; and whether in view of the fact that in certain cases whore such changes have been made the local authorities allege that serious inconveniences have arisen, without any compensating advantage to the Revenue or any one, he will put himself in communication with such authorities, with a view to ascertaining the exact facts in the matter and remedying the inconvenience which is alleged to have arisen.
§ MR. SYDNEY BUXTONIt has recently been decided to close the post offices at Newry, Dundalk, and Drogheda at 8 p.m. instead of 10 p.m. the Returns of counter transactions which were taken for some long time prior to this decision, showed that the amount of business transacted at the counters of these offices after 8 p.m. was insignificant, and not sufficient to warrant the expense of keeping the offices open to an exceptionally late hour, or of imposing the late hours on the staff. Telegrams can, of course, still be sent after 8 p.m. on payment of the usual late fees, and I cannot find that the curtailment of postal facilities has caused, or is likely to cause, any practical inconvenience, and there seems to be no sufficient grounds for granting facilities to the towns in question which are denied to other towns of equal or greater importance.
§ MR. MOONEYDid not the right hon. Gentleman receive representations from Irish local authorities on the subject.
§ MR. SYDNEY BUXTONYes, but the decision was based on the records of the transactions.
§ MR. MOONEYOn ex parte statements.
§ MR. SYDNEY BUXTONNo, on the official records.