§ MR. WEIRI beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether a contract has yet been signed with the North British Railway Company for the conveyance of the Stornoway mails via Mallaig; and, if not, will he explain the cause of the delay.
§ MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINNo contract has been made with the North British Railway Company for the conveyance of mails over the new railway between Fort William and Mallaig, and no agreement has been arrived at as to the terms on which the line is to continue to be used. According to the present time-table no advantage would result from the transmission of mails for Stornoway from Mallaig, and the severance of the connection at Kyle with the Highland Railway would be the reverse of beneficial. In the other direction mails from Stornoway for the south are being conveyed to Mallaig, and the delivery of the letters in Glasgow and Edinburgh is thus considerably accelerated.