§ MR. WEIRI beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether he is aware that the Stornoway mail, which is dispatched from London with the Wick mail at 8.30 p.m., is thrown out at Dingwall at 11.14 a.m., and there delayed until 11.55 a.m., when it is sent on by a train stopping at all stations, with the result that it does not arrive at Strome Ferry until 2.10 p.m., whence it is dispatched by steamer to Stornoway, reaching the latter place too late in the 1276 evening to admit the business community to reply by the return mail leaving one hour after midnight; and, whether he will take steps to accelerate the Stornoway mail service, which not only affects a population of 30,000 in the Island of Lewis, but also a considerable population on the western mainland of Ross-shire?
§ MR. HANBURYThe Stornoway mail is conveyed in the manner stated in the hon. Member's question, and is due to reach Stornoway about 9 p.m. A delivery of letters to callers at the Post Office is afforded the same evening whenever the steamer arrives in time for such delivery to be made by 10.15 p.m., and on such occasions opportunity is given for reply to urgent letters by the outgoing mail of the same night. To accelerate the arrival of the mail at Stornoway, as desired by the hon. Member, would involve heavy expenditure to the Post Office, which the circumstances do not warrant. Moreover, the earlier arrival of the mail would benefit, not the whole population of Lewis, but only the inhabitants of Stornoway.