HC Deb 20 February 1894 vol 21 cc840-1
DR. MACGREGOR

I beg to ask the Secretary for Scotland if he has received a Petition signed by some hundreds of the inhabitants of Benbecula, Inverness-shire (population 2,000), praying that the steamer which now passes within sight of them should be made to call in connection with the postal and general traffic of the island; and while there is no harbour, whether it can be arranged to have a boat lowered from the steamer to meet the requirements of so considerable a population isolated by wide and dangerous tidal fords from other parts of the Long Island?

THE SECRETARY FOR SCOTLAND (Sir G. TREVELYAN,) Glasgow, Bridgeton

I have received the Memorial, and referred a similar question to the Postmaster General sent in June last, who received a Report from the contractor of the mail service to the effect that the approaches to Benbecula are extremely dangerous, and could only be made in very clear weather. But I will confer with the contractor in regard to the proposal made in the last paragraph of the hon. Member's question.