§ * MR. LAMONT (Buteshire)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to notices published on June 23rd by the Glasgow and South Western Railway Company and by the Caledonian Steam Packet Company to the effect that on and after July 2nd next, their steamers will cease to call at Millport and Keppel Piers, in the Island of Cumbrae; whether he has received any protest from the local authority of Millport against the withdrawal of these steamer services, whereby alone communication with the mainland is maintained, as disastrous to the interests of the inhabitants; whether he has made any representation to the companies on the subject, and, if so, what answer they have made; whether he is aware that the local authority has offered to refer to arbitration any point in dispute, and that the companies have refused and insist that unless the local authority unconditionally accepts their terms the services will be discontinued; and whether he will take action to avert the withdrawal of the steamer service.
§ MR. RAINY (Kilmarnock Burghs)I beg also to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the threatened cessation of the steamer service to Millport on Saturday next will prevent dwellers in other towns from obtaining access to houses they have acquired in Millport as summer residences; and what action he proposes to take in the matter.
§ MR. LLOYD-GEORGEIn reply to my hon. friends I regret that I am at present unable to add to the Answer which I gave yesterday to the Question 1142 in this matter addressed to me by the hon. Member for North Londonderry.†
§ MR. CLYNES (Manchester, N.E.)Does not this show the necessity for the nationalisation of our railways, so that they may be carried on for the advantage of the public?
§ * MR. SPEAKERThat hardly arises out of the Question.