§ 43. Mr. LIVINGSTONEasked the Postmaster-General whether, in view of the fact that mails reach the Island of Lewis daily, he will take steps to accelerate local deliveries in order that the daily service may be restored to a population of nearly 30,000?
§ Sir W. MITCHELL-THOMSONThere is a daily service on all the main routes in Lewis, with a delivery to callers at the local Post Offices. I am afraid a daily delivery by postman throughout the island would cost more than I should be justified in spending in present circumstances. The services are substantially the same as before the War.
§ Mr. LIVINGSTONEAll I am anxious about is that the pre-War service, which affects 30,000 people, should be restored.
§ Mr. MACPHERSONIn view of the enormous profits made by the postal service as a whole, should not pre-War postal facilities now be restored to the country districts?
§ Sir W. MITCHELL-THOMSONBoth my hon. Friends who have put Supplementary Questions seem to have missed the last sentence of my answer, which was that the services are substantially the same as they were before the War.
§ Mr. MACPHERSONIs my right hon. Friend aware that I was not referring to the Island of Lewis but to other country districts throughout the kingdom, where the postal facilities are certainly not the same as they were before the War?
§ Sir W. MITCHELL-THOMSONThere are a great many districts besides the country districts where the facilities are not comparable with pre-War facilities.
§ Lieut.-Colonel ACLAND-TROYTEIs it not a fact that the Postmaster-General is doing all he possibly can to improve the service in the country districts?
§ Mr. LIVINGSTONEWill the right hon. Gentleman not consider, in the case of these people in the Island of Lewis, restoring the same service as his more efficient predecessor gave before the War?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat is a matter for argument.