§ Mr. WATTasked the Postmaster-General on how many days between 18th December and 25th January the mails were not landed for or were not delivered on the proper day to the inhabitants of South Harris, in the Hebrides; what was the extent of each of the delays; were they due to stress of weather or to the breakdown of the mail steamer; and will he, in future mail contracts for this neighbourhood, make it a condition that the steamer allocated to carry these mails shall not be under a certain tonnage and shall not be more than twenty years old?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELThe particulars are not available, but I will make inquiry and communicate with the hon. Member. Mails for South Harris have been delayed recently both by stress of weather and by the breakdown of the mail steamer. I am informing the contractors that the Post Office cannot acquiesce in the replacement of the regular boat by any boat unable to maintain contract speed in boisterous weather.