§ MR. BARCLAYasked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether the Government intend taking any step towards carrying out the recommendation of the Crofter's Commission in favour of increased telegraphic facilities; and, in particular, whether the Treasury will reduce, and, in the more pressing cases, dispense with the guarantee now required before providing telegraphic communications in the western islands, Orkney and Shetland?
§ MR. COURTNEYMy right hon. Friend has asked me to answer this Question. I am glad to be able to inform my hon. Friend that the substantial recommendations of Lord Napier's Commission upon this point were anticipated. Under arrangements with the Fishery Board, a large proportion of the extensions recommended by that Commission 1888 are being carried out, and, in particular, that to Barra, upon which they laid most stress. Looking to the unremunerative character of the Telegraph Service, as a whole, it is scarcely possible to dispense with the guarantee protecting the public from loss; but the amount is reduced to the smallest sum; and if the experience of the present extensions justifies the hopes held out, the traffic over them should go far to relieve the guarantors from liability.