Mr. CATHCART WASONasked the Postmaster-General what sum is now paid to the Highland Railway Company in respect of carrying the Wick and Thurso (including Orkney) mails; and whether, in view of the fact that the Wick and Thurso (including Orkney) mails will arrive at a later hour than previous to the arrangement recently made, he will take an early opportunity of reviewing the contract with the railway company?
The HON. MEMBERfurther asked (1) if the right hon. Gentleman is unable to enter into a satisfactory arrangement with the Highland Railway Company to deliver the Orkney mails at Thurso within a reasonable time will he inquire whether the Orkney mails could be delivered at Kirkwall or Stromness by steamer direct from Aberdeen at an earlier hour and probably at a lesser cost?
And (2) whether the right hon. Gentleman has received petitions from the Orkney County Council and from the burgh of Kirkwall praying that the mail service shall be placed on a more satisfactory footing than at present; that for years past, during the tourist season, the mails have been delivered hours after time solely to suit the convenience of the Highland Railway Company, and the mail steamer forced to perform in the darkness an always dangerous crossing; if he has also received a memorandum from the town clerk of Kirkwall bearing on the subject; and if it is in his power to secure a better mail service for the entire county of Kirkwall, and also for the large towns of Caithness, Wick, and Thurso?
§ Mr. BUXTONIt will perhaps be convenient if I deal with these three questions together. No special payment is made to the Highland Railway Company in respect of the Wick and Thurso (including Orkney) mails, as that service is covered by the general mail contract with the company. The question of the retiming of the mail trains has received very careful consideration. The Highland Company state that they are expending a large sum in improvements with the view of ensuring greater punctuality, but that on account of the growth of traffic and of the irregular arrival at Perth of passenger trains from the South, added to the fact that the line is a single one, it had become impracticable to maintain 1642 the ordinary hours during the summer season. I have, therefore, agreed, as an experiment for the present summer, to a slightly later-timed arrival of the night mail train at Wick and Thurso, and to a corresponding alteration in other trains. The company are confident, in consequence of the improvements they have made, that they will be able to maintain a much greater degree of punctuality, and that the arrival of the mails in the North, though nominally timed somewhat later, will be actually earlier than in recent years. I do not, therefore, propose at present to review the mail contract with the Highland company; but at the end of the season the result of the adoption of the modified time-table will be carefully considered.
I find on inquiry that if the Orkney mails were sent by steamer from Aberdeen instead of viâ Thurso, as my hon. Friend suggests, they would reach their destination later, while the cost of the service would be much increased. I have received the Memorials and Memorandum to which my hon. Friend refers, and I hope that the arrangements made with the company will result in a more satisfactory and punctual service.
Mr. CATHCART WASONWill the right hon. Gentleman inquire whether that portion of the reply is strictly correct in regard to the late arrival at Thurso?
§ Mr. SYDNEY BUXTONI understand that it is due partly to unpunctuality at Perth, and also to the other causes to which I have referred.