§ 46. Mr. MacKENZIE LIVINGSTONEasked the Postmaster-General whether, seeing that 6½ hours are allowed under the terms of the mail contract for the journey between Stornoway and the mainland, a distance of only 60 miles, he will take steps to shorten this time allowance, in view of the need for the restoration of the early morning train connection to the south which existed before the War?
§ Major ELLIOTI have been asked to reply. The time allowance will require adjustment when a faster boat is put upon the service, but as my right hon. Friend indicated in his reply to the hon. Member's question of 12th April, the expense of providing and running a vessel fast enough to ensure the connection with the early morning train would be unduly heavy and greater than would be justified by the traffic and other conditions of the service. I would point out that the time allowed in the contract for the voyage from Stornoway to Kyle is 6 hours 10 minutes, including provision for a stop Applecross, and that the distance is approximately 70 statute miles.