HC Deb 30 November 1916 vol 88 cc468-70
53. Mr. MAURICE HEALY

asked the Postmaster-General whether he has called the attention of the Great Southern and Western Railway Company to the fact that during the month of October, omitting Sundays and two days on which the train did not wait for the arrival of the mails, the morning mail was only late in arriving at Kingstown by thirty-five minutes on two occasions, and that on the same basis the average delay for the last three weeks of October was only fifteen minutes; whether, in fixing the period of thirty-five minutes now allowed as a margin of delay, maximum delay or only average delay was taken; whether there is now any improvement in the running of the mail between Euston and Kingstown; and whether he will approach the railway company with a view to having the thirty-five minutes' interval at Kingstown cut down to a figure corresponding with the real facts?

The POSTMASTER-GENERAL (Mr. Pease)

The object with which the present time of starting the Great Southern train from Kingsbridge was adopted was, as I have often stated, to fix a time corresponding with what is attainable under war conditions. The hon. Member's figures as regards time of arrival at Kingstown cover too short a period and are arrived at with too much omission for me to accept them as a safe guide to what is at present attainable, although I am sure that the North-Western Company and the City of Dublin Company are alike doing their best.

Mr. M. HEALY

The right hon. Gentleman has not answered that part of the question which asks whether there is now any improvement in the running of the mail between Euston and Kingstown?

Mr. PEASE

It varies from day to day in accordance with the traffic. The two companies are doing their best, and nothing more can be done under the circumstances.

Mr. T. M. HEALY

Will the right hon. Gentleman say why, until the adoption of English time in Ireland, we were able to get our letters an hour and a half before we get them now?

Mr. PEASE

The increase of traffic has been lately very considerable, and the time of passenger trains carrying mails worse than it was a few months ago.

Mr. T. M. HEALY

Will the right hon. Gentleman say what advantage it has been to any human being to extend English time to Ireland?

55. Mr. O'LEARY

asked the Postmaster-General why it has been decided to have the mails conveyed from Drimoleague to Bantry, a distance of fourteen miles, by horse-drawn vehicles instead of by train as was the custom hitherto; whether, in so deciding, he considered the delay which would result in the delivery of the mails in the Castletownbere and Bantry districts, and the inconvenience which would be thereby caused to the commercial, mercantile, and professional classes resident in those districts; and whether, in view of the general objection to the proposed arrangement, the matter will be reconsidered?

Mr. PEASE

The road service between Drimoleague and Bantry is intended to minimise the serious delay which would otherwise result on and after 1st December from the withdrawal by the railway company of the train by which the mails are at present conveyed.

Captain DONELAN

Could not the right hon. Gentleman make some new arrangement with this railway company?

Mr. PEASE

I am afraid I have got no power to control the timing of railway companies' trains.