§ MR. MACFARLANE (Argyll)asked the Secretary to the Treasury, If the reason why the steamer carrying the mails to the outer isles does not call at Tobermory was because the Government was informed that the pier dues would amount to £100 or £150 per annum; and, whether it is the fact that the Post Office official who visited the district was informed that the pier dues would not exceed £50?
§ THE SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Mr. HENRY H. FOWLER) (Wolverhampton)The expediency of requiring the mail steamer to call at Tobermory did not depend exclusively upon the amount of pier dues payable. Other considerations influenced the Postmaster General in refusing the application. No officer of the Post Office was informed that the pier dues would not exceed £50 a-year.
§ MR. MACFARLANEasked if the hon. Gentleman could state what the dues would amount to if the steamers called there?
§ MR. HENRY H. FOWLERNo, I could not.