§ MR. CATHCART WASON (Orkney and Shetland)I beg to ask the Postmaster-General if, in view of the decision that the call of the Orkney mail steamer at Swilha is only to be made when the conditions of weather and tide are favourable, and that the evidence before the Postmaster-General shows that under such conditions such detention does not delay the steamer more than ten minutes, the steamship company will be held responsible for delays to mails and passengers beyond that time.
LORD STANLEYThe steamship company are held responsible for any delay which occurs on the Orkney mail steamer service, and they are required to furnish an explanation whenever the authorised time is exceeded. With regard to the call at Swilha, if it is found that in practice such a call interferes seriously with the Orkney mail service, the question of permitting it will be reconsidered.