§ Mr. LEONARDasked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware of the delay in the delivery of newspapers and correspondence which occurs whenever the down special travelling post office misses the Highland connection at Perth; that this happens on an average eight times a year and has occurred four times in a fortnight; and whether, as the public and the newspaper companies and the railway staff all suffer by the recent diversion of traffic from the Highland travelling post office to the down special travelling post office, he will revert to the former arrangement?
§ Sir E. BENNETTI am aware that delay to correspondence occurs when the down special travelling post office reaches Perth too late to connect with the Highland travelling post office, but I am informed that during this year only one such failure of connection has occurred, and that this was due to a railway accident. The recent alteration by which the handling of a certain amount of correspondence from the South was transferred from the Highland travelling post office to the down special travelling post office resulted in appreciable economies without any adverse effect on public facilities, and I regret that I am unable to revert to the former arrangement.