§ The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the TREASURY (Mr. Hobhouse)moved, "That the Contract recently made between the Postmaster-General and Messrs. G. and J. Burns, Limited, for the conveyance of mails between Glasgow, Ardrossan, and Belfast (printed in Parliamentary Paper, No. 39, of 1909), be approved."
§ Mr. CLAUDE HAYThis motion has been upon the Paper a considerable number of weeks. It is a matter of some public interest, and I do not think it should pass in silence. I therefore ask the Secretary to the Treasury to explain the conditions of the contract, the amount of money it represents, and the general arrangements.
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEThe whole of the conditions of the contract are set out at great length in the Parliamentary Paper No. 39, of 1909, printed on February 23rd. The terms of the contract are given, and there is a Treasury Minute which explains the relation of this contract to previous contracts. The only difference is that the provision enabling Messrs. Burns, the contractors, to discontinue their Ardrossan and Belfast service has been omitted, the contractors now undertaking to continue the service as at present without exception, and they give a Saturday service. Those are the only variations from the previous contract.
§ Motion agreed to.