§ MR. BRYCE (Aberdeen, S.)I beg to ask the Postmaster General whether he can now state the arrangements which it is intended to make for the provision of an improved mail service between Aberdeen and the Orkney and Shetland Islands?
§ MR. RAIKESI am at present only in a position to state that I have ascertained on what terms the present contractors would be willing to increase the frequency of the sailings of the mail steamers between Aberdeen and the Shetlands by one day a week all the year round, and those terms are now being considered by my noble Friend the Secretary for Scotland and myself.
§ MR. RAIKESIt will be necessary for the Scotch Office and the Post Office to arrive at a common understanding, 684 and this must be submitted to the Treasury before I can say anything else.