Mr. CATHCART WASONasked if there is a contract between the Post Office and the Highland Railway Company to carry His Majesty's mails between Inverness and Wick, Caithness, and Inverness for Thurso and Orkney, and, if so, at what hour the said mails should leave Inverness and arrive at Wick and Thurso respectively; if there is any penalty for repeated delays; and, if so, if any such penalty has ever been enforced?
§ Mr. BUXTONThere is a contract with the Highland Railway Company for the conveyance of the mails to Wick and Thurso. The times laid down in the contract provide for a later arrival of the mails than that now observed, but it has recently been arranged with the company that the mail trains should leave Inverness during the present summer season at 5.40 a.m. and 9.50 a.m. respectively, and reach Wick 12.40 p.m. and 4.0 p.m. The arrivals at Thurso are effected a little earlier than at Wick. As I have already informed my hon. Friend, the mail contract provides no penalties for irregular working.
Mr. CATHCART WASONIs not it a fact that under the new time-table schedule Caithness and Orkney are worse off than they were before?
§ Mr. BUXTONMy information is that they are better off.
Mr. CATHCART WASONDoes not the time-table in Bradshaw show that the trains arrive later than they did before?
§ Mr. BUXTONThat is the information-which I have. According to my information it is sooner.