§ Mr. BOLANDasked the Postmaster-General (1) at what hour the night train conveying the mails from Dublin arrives at Farranfore Junction; why the connecting train from Farranfore to Cahirciveen cannot be despatched at such a time as to allow of its arriving with the mails at Cahirciveen by 8.26 a.m., seeing that the distance is less than forty miles? (2) On what grounds the railway company has been allowed to alter the scheduled time of the arrival of the morning train which conveys the mail to Caherciveen; whether he is aware that for a great number of years no case was made for an alteration of the time table in this respect; whether a railway company is entitled, contrary to the interests of the public, to delay the delivery of mails by pleading that it cannot 612 run its service up to time when, through lack of proper supervision or by the reduction of its staff, it fails to keep to the scheduled time during the whole of one month; and whether steps will now be taken to compel the railway company to revert to the former time of arrival at Cahirciveen.
§ The POSTMASTER-GENERAL (Mr. Herbert Samuel)I will answer the hon. Member's two questions together. The, train by which the mails from Dublin are conveyed is due at Farranfore Junction at 4.52 a.m., and the goods train for Cahirciveen is due to leave the Junction only eighteen minutes later. I gave the round of the alteration in the scheduled time in my reply of the 10th instant, and I then also expressed my regret that the railway company sees no possibility of improving the service at present. I do not think it is within my province to express an opinion as to the manner in which the railway company manages its staff, and in existing circumstances I cannot call on the company to accelerate this train.