§ DR. MACGREGOR (Invernesshire)I beg to ask the Secretary for Scotland, seeing that the public highway between Kingussie and Fort William was blocked by snow for four days, and no steps taken by the Road Authority to restore communication, whereby the Post Office was obliged to despatch the mails by a circuitous route at additional expense, whose duty is it to remove such obstruction; and will the Public Exchequer be refunded the extra outlay consequent on the neglect to keep the roads open for traffic?
§ SIR G. TREVELYANI am informed that the snow block occurred in the Lochabar district, and that the duty of clearing it rested with the committee of that district, who must be left to judge of the time and method of doing what is their own work. The Post Office Authorities report that even if the snow block had been cleared the service could only have been performed on the 24th ultimo, and not on the earlier three days mentioned.
§ DR. MACGREGORIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Chairman of the local committee refused to remove the block?
§ SIR G. TREVELYANThat is a question which must be left to the local committee.