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County Down Postal Arrangements

Volume 91: debated on Friday 22 March 1901

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I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether he is aware that English and Scotch letters posted in Ballyroney, Katesbridge, and neighbourhood, county Down, are collected about 5 o'clock in the afternoon, brought to Newry, and remain there until the next day before being forwarded, three days from time of collection to delivery being thus required; and if he will take steps to prevent such delay in future.

English and Scotch letters despatched from Ballyroney at 5.55 p.m. and from Katesbridge at 5 p.m. reach Newry at 9.10 p.m. and are forwarded thence early the following morning in time for despatch by the day mail from Dublin, reaching London and many other places in time for delivery the same evening. If posted at Ballyroney by 7.30 a.m. letters for England and Scotland would be delivered on the following morning. According to the latest returns the existing services to Ballyroney and Kates-bridge are maintained at a considerable loss, and the Postmaster General regrets that he would not be justified in incurring additional expense for the purpose of improving them.

Am I to understand it does not take three days from the time of posting to that of delivery?

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether he is aware that English and Scotch letters take almost three days from the time that they are posted until they are delivered in Ballyroney and Katesbridge, county Down; and if he will take steps to have these mails sent on from Newry, which is the head office for the district, to Ballyroney and Katesbridge by either rail, car, or bicycle.

Letters sent from England and Scotland by night mail reach Ballyroney at 5.55 p.m. on the following evening, and can then be obtained on application at the post office. As there is no second post in the day to Katesbridge, such letters do not reach that place until the second day after posting. The question of establishing a second post to Katesbridge and an earlier arrival in the afternoon at Ballyroney was recently considered, but it was found that the circumstances did not warrant the cost.