§ MR. BRYCE (Aberdeen, S.)I beg to ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the attention of Her Majesty's Government has been called to the. recommendations relating to Shetland and the Mail Service thereto, contained in the recent Report to the Secretary of State for Scotland made by the Western Highlands and Islands Commissioners, and in particular to the following suggestions therein made, namely, that Her Majesty's Government should grant a guarantee of 2½ per cent. for four years on the capital required to enable the Highland Railway Company to extend their line to Gills Bay; that there should be a mail service to Shetland at least thrice a week in winter and four times a week in summer; that additional lights should be placed on certain 1533 dangerous points of the coast of the Shetland Isles; whether he has received a Memorial from the Lord Provost, Magistrates, and Town Council of Aberdeen in support of these recommendations; and whether he can hold out a hope that the Treasury will be willing to take steps to give effect to the above recommendations or to some, and which of them?
§ MR. GOSCHENYes, Sir; the attention of Her Majesty's Government has been called to the recommendations made in the Second Report of the Western Highlands and Islands Commission. We have discussed most of the points raised in the question of my hon. Friend, and certainly I can hold out a hope that the Government will be able to give effect to some of the recommendations of the Commission.