§ DR. MACDONALD (ROSS and Cromarty)I beg to ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it is the intention of the Government to carry out the recommendations of the Western Highlands and Islands Commission as regards lighthouses, by causing lighthouses to be erected at Tiumpan Head and at the entrance to Loch Carlowey, in Lewis; and if he is aware that only a few days ago a large ship went ashore in Broad Bay, Lewis, owing to there being no lighthouse on Tiumpan Head?
§ *A LORD OF THE TREASURY (Sir HERBERT MAXWELL (Wigton)I have 399 received information that the vessel referred to has been got off and left in tow of a tug, but I may inform the hon. Member that it is intended to erect a lighthouse at the entrance to Loch Carlowey in Lewis, and it is possible that the light may be completed this Session. There is no present intention of erecting a lighthouse on Tiumpan Head.
§ DR. MACDONALDI beg to ask the Postmaster General, if a petition has been received by Her Majesty's Government from various representative bodies in the island of Lewis, praying that the telegraph system should be extended to the fishing villages of Tolsto, in Stornoway parish, Gravir and Crossbost, in Lochs, and to Shawbost, Brager-Arnol, on the west side of Lewis; and what his intentions are in reference to these petitions?
§ *THE POSTMASTER GENERAL (Mr. RAIKES, Cambridge University)In reply to the hon. Member, I have to say that I received a Petition on the subject to which he refers, and at once caused inquiry to be made. The result of that inquiry has just been reported to me, and I regret to say that at none of the villages mentioned would a telegraph office be self-supporting. I shall be glad to forward the Petition to the Scottish office, but I think it will be found that the whole of the grant placed at the disposal of that department for extension of the telegraph in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland for the current year has been expended.