SIR GEORGE CAMPBELL&c.) (Kirkcaldy,asked the Postmaster General, Who were the arbitrators in the recent arbitration between the Post Office and the North British Railway Company; what questions were referred to them; if the question whether there should be facilities for sorting letters between Edinburgh or Burntisland and Dundee was distinctly referred to them, and decided; or if they merely omitted to provide for any such service; whether, as the law now stands, in case a Railway Company places too high a value on services to be performed for the Post Office, the Government have power to insist on a reasonable service at a fair price; and, whether, if the Government have that power, he will use it to obtain that accommodation for sorting letters to which the inhabitants of Fife have been accustomed, and of the deprivation of which they complain; or, if the law does not give that power, whether he has watched the new Rail- 322 way and Canal Traffic Bill with a view to obtain it?
§ THE POSTMASTER GENERAL (Mr. RAIKES) (Cambridge University)The arbitrators were the Right Hon. John Blair Balfour, advocate, Queen's Counsel, and Member of Parliament, on behalf of the Railway Company, and Mr Alexander Staveley Hill, one of Her Majesty's Counsel and Member of Parliament, on behalf of the Post Office. The umpire was Lord Basing. The questions referred to them were two—(1) What remuneration should be paid by the Postmaster General to the Company for services required of the Company in connection with the conveyance of mails during the period of six months from the 1st of December, 1887, to the 31st of May, 1888; and (2) what should be the remuneration payable to the Company for services required in connection with the conveyance of mails subsequently to the 31st of May, 1888. No question respecting facilities for sorting letters between Edinburgh or Burnt-island and Dundee in the future, or as to remuneration for such facilities, was referred to the arbitrators. As the law now stands, the only way of fixing remuneration for mail services, if a difference arises between the Post Office and a Railway Company, is to refer the matter to arbitration and abide by the award. I do not consider this mode of settling differences to be a satisfactory one; and I believe it would be to the advantage of the Railway Companies, as well as of the Post Office, if questions of remuneration for the carriage of mails could be referred to the Railway Commissioners. As I stated in reply to another hon. Member last week, I should be willing to consider any fresh proposal which the Railway Company may put before me in regard to the service between Burntisland and Dundee.
§ SIR GEORGE CAMPBELLasked the Postmaster General, whether, in the interests of the inhabitants of Fife, he would do something?
§ MR. RAIKESsaid, as regarded the interests of the people of Fife, no doubt it was very important that those interests should be considered; and he trusted that the Railway Company before long would be in a position to make a proposal which would be convenient for them.