§ DR. MACDONALD (Ross and Cromarty)I beg to ask the Postmaster General whether he is aware that the larger steamer that has been put on the Strome-Stornoway route by the mail contractor takes on an average a longer time than the smaller one previously used; whether, of late, the time used on the voyage has been weekly increasing; whether she is an old boat with defective boilers that cannot stand sufficient steam pressure; whether she frequently misses the 5.45. a.m. train from Strome, and so causes serious loss to fish curers and merchants in having their fish forwarded to the southern markets; why the time of departure for Stornoway has been altered from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. which causes the 5.45. a.m. train to be missed; whether he knows that her being allowed to call at Portree means a loss of three hours for passengers to or from Stornoway; and whether he will put sufficient pressure on the mail contractor to induce him to give an efficient and suitable service on this line?
§ *MR. RAIKESThe mail steamer now serving Stornoway is not a new one, but I have no reason to believe that she is inefficient either from age or imperfect condition. She is a much larger steamer than the one formerly employed, and affords improved passenger accommodation. When the time for the voyage is exceeded, I am informed that the delay arises in a great measure from causes not within the contractor's control. The Harbour Commissioners of Stornoway offer no adequate facilities for landing the mails, though requested to do so, and during the fishing season there has been much difficulty in this respect. It is true that the steamer, on the inward voyage from Stornoway to Strome, has frequently missed the 5.45 a.m. train at Strome. This has arisen from her being detained on the outward journey from Strome to Stornoway by the late arrival of the mail train, and this delay again is occasioned by the late working of the train in the opposite direction, the line of railway being single and the fish traffic heavy. It was hoped that by 117 altering the hour of departure—not from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m., but from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.—the connection with the early morning train from Strome would be secured; but so far, for the reasons given, this expectation has not been realised. It is on rare occasions that this steamer calls at Portree, and then only by special permission, which is not granted unless it appears necessary on public grounds. No doubt passengers are delayed on such occasions; but, so far as the arrival of the mails at Stornoway is concerned, no public inconvenience has arisen. The hon. Member may rest assured that no opportunity will be lost of securing as efficient a performance as possible of this Service.