HC Deb 22 March 1897 vol 47 cc1106-7
MR. D. NICOL (Argyll)

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether a travelling post office is to be run throughout the year between Stirling and Oban in connection with the down night mail train and the up local 4.30 p.m. from Oban; and, if so, when this arrangement is likely to conic into force; and what acceleration of postal communication ill the districts affected will result?

THE SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Mr. R. W. HANBURY,) Preston

The Postmaster General has frequently bean urged to continue throughout the year the early morning mail trains from Stirling to Oban which runs during the three months of July, August, and September. A travelling post office is not a necessary part of the scheme, and would add to the expenditure. But if it were run in the morning train, the up local train at 4.30 would no doubt be a convenient train by which it should return to Stirling. Whether travelling post office is included in the arrangement or not, the postal advantages as a whole are not, in the Postmaster General's judgment, sufficient to warrant the expenditure involved, and no steps have been taken towards establishing the service. If the train were established, an early delivery of the letters by two and a-half to four hours would be afforded at Oban, and at places on the line, but whether the letters for places served by the steamers from Oban would gain any advantage would depend upon re-arrangements of the steamer services, which may not be found acceptable or even practicable.

SIR LEONARD LYELL (Orkney and Shetland)

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether he is aware that the mail steamer from Aberdeen to Shetland was delayed 15 hours beyond its time at Kirkwall on Sunday 14th inst., although the weather was fine, and that in consequence great inconvenience was occasioned to the inhabitants of Shetland, owing to the delay in delivering the mails and to the consequent dislocation of the inland mail service, the people of Lerwick especially being deprived of any opportunity of communicating by post with their correspondents in the South until the following Wednesday; and whether he will institute an inquiry into the circumstances of this detention?

MR. HANBURY

The mail steamer in question should have left Aberdeen on Friday, the 12th inst., at 7 p.m., but owing to stress of weather it could not leave till 9 p.m. on Saturday, the 13th. It arrived at Kirkwall shortly after 8 a.m. on Sunday, the 14th, but Sunday labour being prohibited at Kirkwall between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m., the cargo could not be discharged till the evening. The arrival at Lerwick was consequently delayed until 11 a.m. on Monday, but the vessel remained there until 1 a.m. on Tuesday, and the people of Lerwick had thus the opportunity of sending replies southwards by the same steamer. Many places in the country districts were also able to reply by the return steamer, as the Postmaster made special efforts to bring back the country postmen to Lerwick on Monday night.