§ MR. BRIDGEMAN (Shropshire, Oswestry)I beg to ask the Postmaster-General if he is aware that passengers booking through passages by the Canadian and Canadian Pacific route to Japan, by steamer leaving Liverpool on 29th May, have at the last moment been informed that owing to the action of the Post Office the connecting steamer from Vancouver to Japan has been postponed for a fortnight; and what was the reason for subjecting these passengers to such inconvenience, and for thus discouraging the all-British route to the advantage of foreign services.
§ MR. SYDNEY BUXTONI am not aware what information has been given by the Canadian Pacific Railway Company to intending passengers; but I may state that arrangements have been made for the institution of a mail service to Japan via Canada every three weeks during the summer months instead of every four weeks; and as a consequence the mails which under the former arrangements would have left Vancouver on the 507 8th June in connection with the sailing from Liverpool on the 29th instant will leave Vancouver on the 3rd June in connection with a sailing from Liverpool on the 22nd instant. The next despatch from Liverpool will be on the 12th June.
§ MR. BRIDGEMANWould it not have been possible to issue a statement for the information of passengers?
§ MR. SYDNEY BUXTONI thought the company would have done so.
§ MR. BRIDGEMANWhen did the Post Office make the change?
§ MR. SYDNEY BUXTONIt has been under negotiation a considerable time. It was, as a matter of fact, proposed by the company itself.