§ MR. MACFARLANE (Argyll)asked the Secretary to the Treasury, If the contract for the carriage of the mails to and from the Outer Hebrides to Oban was thrown open to public competition; and, whether it was necessary that the service to Tiree and Coll should be attached to Barra and Uist, instead of to Tobermory as formerly?
§ THE SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Mr. HENRY H. FOWLER) (Wolverhampton, E.)The contract for the carriage of the mails to and from the outer Hebrides to Oban was not thrown open to competition, but was a matter of arrangement with the Highland Fisheries Company. Tiree and Coll were formerly served by sailing packet from Tobermory, but are now served from Oban by the steam packet which also serves South Uist and Barra. The change, which is considered to be a very great improvement, would not have been, practicable if the direct communication with Tobermory had been preserved.