§ MR. T. C. H. HEDDERWICK (Wick Burghs)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether, in connection with the projected acceleration of the London night mail service to Thurso, he will endeavour to induce the Highland 1682 Railway Company to adopt and maintain the same mail train rate of speed between Inverness and Thurso as is now maintained between Perth and Inverness, so that the mails may reach Thurso at 3 o'clock in the afternoon, or as near thereto as may be, with a view to render an evening delivery, viâ Scrabster, possible at Kirkwall?
§ MR. HANBURYNo arrangement for running the London night mail train to Thurso at the same speed between Inverness and Thurso as between Perth and Inverness would be practicable without reducing the number of stops and necessitating the establishment of additional trains. If the Highland Railway Company should see fit for the advantage of their passengers to effect an alteration of this kind, the Postmaster General will gladly avail himself of the accelerated service; but, having regard to the payments already made for conveyance of the mails on the Highland Railway, he would not be justified in himself incurring additional expense for a higher speed.