§ 60. Lieut.-Colonel POWNALLasked the Postmaster-General whether his attention has been called to the great irregularity, both in arrival and despatch, of the Australian mails; and whether, if the pre-War weekly service is not possible, arrangements can be made with the Peninsular and Oriental and the Orient lines that each of them shall run a mail steamer once every four weeks to give a fortnightly service at regular intervals?
§ Mr. KELLAWAYThe recent irregularity in the Australian mail service has been due to the difficulty experienced in obtaining coal for the mail ships, which have thus been unable to maintain their scheduled dates of departure. I hope that it will be possible at an early date to make the arrangements suggested by the hon. Member.