§ Mr. WILLIAM REDMONDasked the Postmaster-General how long it would take the Australian mails to go from London to Sydney by the route of the new Andes railway; what is the time now taken for the mails by the Suez Canal route; and whether any change is under consideration?
§ The POSTMASTER-GENERAL (Mr. Herbert Samuel)The time of transit for mails from London to Sydney by the Suez Canal route is thirty days sixteen hours. I am unable to say what the time of transit would be by the route of the new Andes railway. It would depend largely on the speed of the service between Valparaiso and Sydney. There is no such service at present, and I am not aware that it is proposed to establish one. It is clear, however, that the total transit from the United Kingdom to Australia would be considerably longer than by the route of Suez, even if a trans-Pacific service were provided of the highest speed attainable under existing conditions.
§ Mr. WILLIAM REDMONDIn view of his reply given now, is it untrue that the right hon. Gentleman made representations to the Australian Government that by the new route the mails would be conveyed in twenty-seven days?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELI have made no such representations.