§ MR. WEIRI beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether he is aware that the contract time for the steamer carrying Her Majesty's mails between Liverpool and the Isle of Man is 14 nautical miles an hour in summer and 12 in winter, whereas the contract time for the steamer carrying Her Majesty's mails to Stornoway is only 11 miles an hour, and having regard to the value of the West Highland fishing industry of which Stornoway is the centre, will he consider the advisability of arranging for a steamer of greater speed to be placed on the Stornoway mail service?
§ THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Mr. R. W. HANBURY,) PrestonThe contract times for the Isle of Man and Stornoway mail steamers respectively are as stated by the hon. Member, but the circumstances do not warrant additional expenditure for the purpose of placing a steamer of greater speed upon the Stornoway route.
§ MR. WEIRI beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, if he will state how often the steamer which is under contract to carry Her Majesty's mails to and from Stornoway at a speed of 11 sea miles an hour has been late in her arrival at Kyleakin and Stornoway respectively since 2nd November last; and will he state how often the delay exceeded half an hour and the maximum delay on any occasion?
§ MR. HANBURYThe records for February have not yet reached London; but during the months of November, December, and January the Stornoway mail steamer was late in her arrival at Kyle 45 times, the delay exceeding 30 minutes on 36 occasions. In the other direction the vessel was late in arriving al Stornoway during the same period 28 times, the delay exceeding 30 minutes on nine occasions. The maximum delay occurred on the voyage from Kyle on 30th December, when the steamer had to put into Pontree for shelter owing to storm, and reached Stornoway 17 hours 45 minutes after departure from Kyle.