HC Deb 21 June 1910 vol 18 cc325-6W
Mr. DEVLIN

asked the Postmaster-General whether his attention has been directed to the fact that the Cunard liner "Mauretania," with Irish, British, and Continental mails, passed Queenstown at noon on Monday 6th June, arriving at Fishguard at 5 p.m., and that consequently the Belfast mails, after waiting at Fishguard for over nine hours, were delivered late on Tuesday, 7th June, whereas, if the

"Mauretania" had stopped at Queens-town, the Irish mails would have been delivered early on Tuesday morning, and thus a saving of almost a whole business day would have been effected to the merchants of Belfast, whose trade with the United States is very large; whether he is aware that all Ireland, North and South, Unionist and Nationalist, is united in protest against the action of this Government-subsidised company in refusing to call at Queenstown on the home journey; and what steps, if any, he proposes to take in the matter?

Mr. HERBERT SAMUEL

The facts are as stated. I am informed, however, that on the recent occasion to which the hon. Member refers the mails for Ireland amounted to about six per cent. on the whole, and those for Belfast to less than one per cent. This question, as the hon. Member is no doubt aware, has received

my very careful attention. The position has not altered since I received a representative deputation from Ireland on 31st March last, and the considerations to which I then referred still hold good. In any case, as the Cunard Company hold no contract with me for the homeward journey, I am not in a position to require that these steamships shall call at Queenstown.