§ MR. JOHN DEWAR (Inverness)I beg to ask the Postmaster-General if, in renewing the mail contracts for steamer services for the Barra, Uist, and Benbecula districts of the West Highlands, he will endeavour to arrange a more convenient service, having Oban and Mallaig as termini; and if he will make it part of the contract that the mail steamer should call at Petersport Pier in Benbecula.
LORD STANLEYThere is at present no question of renewing the contract for the mail steamer service to the districts to which the hon. Member refers; but I may state that with the existing train service it would not be practicable to afford so good a mail service by way of Mallaig as is at present provided via Oban. There are also other objections to the adoption of the Mallaig route, as was pointed out in the letter sent to the hon. Member on August 17th. 1901. As regards the suggestion that the mail steamer should call at Petersport Pier, I find that such a call would delay the boat, and would prejudicially affect the mail service to and from the most important places in 924 the districts concerned. In these circumstances I regret I cannot comply with the hon. Member's wishes in the matter.