§ Mr. DOUGLAS HALLasked the Post-master-General whether he is aware that the mail boat which is supposed to leave Portsmouth for Ryde at 2 a.m., and which carries the mails for the first delivery of letters in the Isle of Wight is often held up by fog; that it happens in these cases that the letters which constitute the second delivery are delivered via Southampton before those that should be included in the first delivery, thus causing inconvenience to traders and others; whether his attention has been called to the fact that London newspapers are in foggy weather despatched from Portsmouth to the Isle of Wight by motor launches, and are on sale in the island before the mails are delivered; and whether he will take steps to ensure that the mails shall be delivered in foggy weather at least as early as the London newspapers are on sale?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELThe steamer conveying night mails for the. Isle of Wight due to leave Portsmouth Harbour at 2.40 a.m., is rarely detained by fog. During the last two years it has on three occasions only reached Ryde too late for the mails to be included in the first delivery. On 29th January newspapers for the island were conveyed from Portsmouth to Ryde in a motor launch, and arrived there before the mails. I will consider the question further.