REVENUE DEPARTMENTS. (Hansard, 17 September 1886)

§ DR. CLARK (Caithness)
I should like, if possible, to have some information from the Postmaster General as to whether he intends to do anything to accelerate the mails in the North and North-West of Scotland? The mail that leaves London at night for the West of Scotland goes to Stirling, where it remains two hours; and instead of getting to Oban at about 9 o'clock, so as to enable it to be sent at once by the packets and steamers to the Western Islands, it does not get there until after 12 o'clock. The mail going 920 to Inverness gets there long before the one going to Oban reaches its destination. The result of the present arrangement is that the entire service to the West of Scotland by steamers and mail packets is kept back by the mail being detained two hours at Stirling.

THE CHAIRMAN
The question as to mail trains is not applicable to this Vote.

§ DR. CLARK
The packets are unable to leave. The letters, as I say, come from the South by train, and they have to go on by packet. If the mail trains were not delayed on the way the packets would be able to get started, and the letters would be all the sooner distributed.

§ THE POSTMASTER GENERAL (Mr. RAIKES) (Cambridge University)
Though this matter is not strictly relevant to the Vote I may, perhaps, be permitted to say a word in reply to the hon. Member who has referred to it. The West side of Scotland has not yet occupied my attention, though the other side has. I shall, however, now be glad to consider the requirements of the West side, and shall devote attention to the matter the hon. Gentleman has referred to, in order to see what can be done.