§ DR. CLARK (Caithness)asked the Postmaster General, Whether the London morning mail to the North is detained three hours at Perth and one hour at Inverness, only arriving at its destination one hour before the evening mail; and, whether he will arrange in the new contract to prevent these unnecessary delays?
§ THE POSTMASTER GENERAL (Mr. RAIKES) (Cambridge University)The departure from Perth of the mail in question is not dependent merely upon the London mail, but also upon the evening mails from Edinburgh and Glasgow, which could not reach Perth earlier without a curtailment of the hours of posting in both cities. The interval of about an hour occurring at Inverness is understood to be in the interest of passengers that they may obtain breakfast. In any negotiations with the Highland Railway Company for a new contract, I shall be glad to see 1190 if an acceleration of the mail in question is feasible; but I cannot pledge myself to any course which would add to the large expense already incurred in serving the districts affected.