§ MR. JOHN DEWAR (Inverness-shire)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster 953 General, seeing that there is a considerable population on the west coast of Skye and on the adjacent islands, at present inadequately provided with postal facilities, several districts having only one delivery a week, will he say whether, in view of the opening of the Mallaig line, application will be made to the Treasury to sanction the expenditure necessary for the establishment of a steamer service between Mallaig and these islands via the west coast of Skye.
§ THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Mr. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAIN, Worcestershire, E.)There is at present no prospect of the establishment of a steamer service from Mallaig to the outlying islands via the west coast of Skye. The present mail service to the southern and western portions of Skye is maintained at a very heavy loss, and from a postal point of view the additional expenditure which it would be necessary to incur for a steamer from Mallaig to serve the districts in question would be altogether out of proportion to the benefits to be dervied.