DR. M'DONALD (Ross and Cromarty)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether the £15,000, to be spent on levelling the road between Stornoway and Carloway, is to be spent on levelling alone, or does it also include the laying down of tram lines on that road; and whether, if it is to be used solely as a road, by how many hours its construction will accelerate the carriage of fish to Stornoway as compared with the time that is taken up on the road in its present state?
§ MR. W. H. SMITHThe offer of the Government of £15,000 is for levelling and improving the existing road, and does not include the laying down of tram lines. It is proposed to improve the gradient so that it shall not exceed 1 in 30. At present the worst gradient is 1 in 7, thus seriously reducing the load which can be carried. It has been stated that the charge for cartage is now 20s. per ton. If the road were improved as proposed this would 1171 probably be materially reduced, and the time of the journey correspondingly reduced.