§ MR. BUCHANANI beg to ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his attention has been called to the 1700 evidence given by Mr. Conacher, Manager of the North British Railway, before the Select Committee on the Invergarry and Fort Augustus Railway Bill, in which he stated that the earnings of the west Highland Railway were most disappointing, and had only amounted to about five guineas per mile per week, or less than half what was estimated; and whether, in view of these facts, he still intends to push forward a Bill by which £260,000 of public money is to be advanced to this company for their Mallaig Extension?
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER (Sir MICHAEL HICKS BEACH,) Bristol, W.I have seen the evidence referred to. Mr. Conacher put the traffic on the West Highland Railway for the year 1895 at five guineas per mile per week, and for the year just closed at £5 11s. per mile per week. It was only opened in August, 1894. He added that, having regard to the through traffic which the Mallaig line will command, he put the two lines very much on the same footing. On this basis the Bill would involve at the outside a charge on the Treasury of £2,000 a year for 30 years, not an advance of £260,000; but, as the receipts will certainly increase, the real cost will be much less. I certainly intend to proceed with the Bill.