inquiry, I fear I cannot usefully add to my right hon. friend's former statements on the matter. MR. DELANY: Will the Local Government Board consult the district councils on the subject? MR. ATKINSON: They will be happy to get information and suggestions from any source. Railway and Canal Rates in Ireland. MR. KILBRIDE (Kildare, S.): I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he can state if any arrangements have been made between the Great Southern and Western Railway and the Grand Canal Company fixing the minimum rate to be charged for goods traffic at competitive stations, such as Monasterevan, Athy, Carlow, and Bagnalstown; whether the Grand Canal Company is to receive any percentage on the receipts of the carrying trade to these railway stations; and, if so, whether, in view of the necessity of keeping the waterways of Ireland open as competitive routes, and of the effect of such arrangewhat steps will be taken in the matter. ments on means of transit, he will state MR. ATKINSON (for Mr. WYNDHAM): The Department has no knowledge of any arrangements such as suggested, and no representations have been made to it on the subject. MR. KILBRIDE: Is there any truth in the allegation? MR. ATKINSON: We have no knowledge of any arrangement of the kind. MR. KILBRIDE: Will the Department inquire? MR. ATKINSON: The Department can only take action upon specific representations made to it by persons aggrieved. MR. KILBRIDE: When shall I put down the Question as to the result? MR. ATKINSON: When the hon. Gentleman thinks proper. London Financiers and Irish Estates. MR. MACVEAGH (Down, S.): I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether his atten- is aware that on a night about 10.30 in tion has been called to the prospectus the month of October, 1902, a young issued by a financial company in London man named Patrick Meagher, of with the object of acquiring Irish estates Borrisoleigh, North Tipperary, proceedunder the Land Bill and re-selling to ing to his home was arrested by Police the tenants at a profit to the money- Constables Murphy and Butler and lenders; and, if so, whether he will locked up in a cell in the barracks till the undertake that financial schemes of this morning; that at Borrisoleigh Petty character will not be allowed to be Sessions Meagher was charged with carried out with the use of public credit being drunk and incapable, that the or of public money. Court, comprised of two resident magistrates, Major Dease and Mr. Heard, on hearing the evidence of these two constables, in addition to that of Sergeant M'Cabe, who all swore that Meagher was drunk, and that of Father Finn and seven other witnesses for the accused, who deposed to knowing him to be a total abstainer, dismissed the case; that (2) Constable Murphy (who is at present stationed at Puckane, Nenagh District) arrested in February of this year on a Sunday at Borrisoleigh a boy named Hammond on a charge of drunkenness, and that Hammond was released on his friends having him examined by Dr. Power, who certified to his sobriety; and, if so, will he cause inquiry to be made into the conduct of the constables responsible for these arrests, with a view to guarding against similar occurrences in future. MR. ATKINSON (for Mr. WYNDHAM): I have not seen the prospectus referred to. The Land Bill affords no special facilities for carrying out such projects. On the contrary, the creation of the Estates Commissioners, with the powers conferred upon them, would seem to dispense with the necessity for such companies. I have no power, however, to interfere in the manner suggested, if the companies act within the law. Mr. T. M. HEALY: Can nothing be done to prevent estates being withdrawn from the process of the Court? MR. ATKINSON: They are bound to give the tenants the option of buying. MR. T. M. HEALY: Is it not the case that any outside company can come in and offer such a sum that the tenants could not pay and thus get them out of the road? Cannot that be stopped? MR. ATKINSON: I do not think it is possible to prevent the landlord selling to a syndicate. MR. MACVEAGH: Would the landlord receive the bonus in such a case? MR. ATKINSON: Certainly not. He is only entitled to it if he sells either to the tenants or to the Estates Commissioners. MR. T. M. HEALY: You have already rejected two Amendments dealing with this matter. Irish Police and Arrests for MR. P. J. O'BRIEN (Tipperary, N.): I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he MR. ATKINSON (for Mr. WYNDHAM): The case against Patrick Meagher was dismissed without prejudice. In the second case, the facts of which are correctly stated, Constable Murphy was severely reprimanded for his action by the county inspector and has been transferred to another district. MR. P. J. O'BRIEN: I want to protect my constituents against this sort of thing. Railway Rates on Irish Agricultural MR. LONSDALE (Armagh, Mid): I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been called to the action of the President of the Board of Agriculture in arranging local conferences in respect of railway rates in England; and, whether he is prepared to recommend similar action by the Department of Agriculture in Ireland with the view of securing for Irish agriculturists and traders more favourable rates for the carriage of their produce. MR. ATKINSON (for Mr. WYNDHAM): The course suggested has already been adopted by the Irish Department. Conferences have taken place with representatives of railway companies and local bodies on the subject, and the Department is in constant communication with railway and shipping companies on such The action of the Department has been attended by beneficial results. Dublin City Loans. MR. PATRICK O'BRIEN (Kilkenny): I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that the Corporation of Dublin have had to complain frequently through their City Treasurer of the delay of the Local Government Board to sanction advances of money made by the Corporation for schemes under the Small Dwellings Acquisition Act; and, if so, whether, seeing that these delays tend to discourage all applications under the Act, can he explain the cause of these delays and especially with reference to six applications made on 24th June last, which have not been sanctioned yet; and will he see that the Local Government Board give prompt attention to applications in future. MR. ATKINSON (for Mr. WYNDHAM): There has been no avoidable delay on the part of the Board in sanctioning advances for schemes under this Act. The six applications referred to were received on the 27th June. Much difficulty was experienced in identifying the property included in the applications, which were sanctioned on Friday last. Irish Poor Law Medical Officers. DR. THOMPSON (Monaghan, N.): I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if he is aware of the dissatisfaction existing amongst the Irish Poor Law medical officers; and, if so, whether he will, in the interests of the sick poor, consent next session to appoint a Royal Commission to consider the whole question of the administration and working of the Irish Poor Law service, including the position and grievances of the medical officers. MR. ATKINSON (for Mr. WYNDHAM) : My right hon. friend replied to a similar Question by the same hon. Member on the 16th June. † He has nothing to add to that reply except to refer to his statement in answer to the Question on Thursday last of the hon. Member for Kilkenny.‡ Tullamore Medical Officer. DR. THOMPSON: I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if he will explain why the Local Government Board for Ireland have informed Dr. M'Carthy, who recently held for a few days the temporary appointment of medical officer of Tullamore dispensary, that his conduct in resigning the appointment would be inquired into by a medical inspector, and that if it was found he had resigned without sufficient cause he would be prohibited in future from holding any Poor Law appointment; and if he will state under what statute or by-law the Local Government Board have so acted. MR. ATKINSON (for Mr. WYNDHAM): Dr. M'Carthy refused to enter upon the duties of the office to which he had been appointed with the approval of the Local Government Board. The Board thereupon requested the guardians to call upon him to take up his duties, and stated that in the event of his still refusing to do so an inquiry would be held into the circumstances, with a view to his removal from office by Sealed Order. The authority for the Board's action in the case will be found in Sections 8 and 16 of the Poor Relief Act of 1851. *MR. DELANY: Will the right hon. Gentleman take steps to prevent young medical practitioners, willing to earn a livelihood, from being intimidated by the Irish Medical Association ? Belturbet Rate Collector. MR. J. P. FARRELL (Longford, N.): I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland will he reconsider his decision not to interfere in the case of surcharge against James Dolan, rate collector of Belturbet urban district, in view of the fact that Mr. Dolan has been unable to bear the + See (4) Debates, cxxiii., 1055. expense of a madamus motion; and will he direct the Local Government Board to hear an appeal from the auditor's decision in the case. MR. ATKINSON (for Mr. WYNDHAM): The Board has already heard an appeal from the auditor's surcharge in this case. Under Section 63 (2) (b) of the Local Government Act, 1898, the decision of the Board in the matter is final. Longford and Leitrim Drainage Boards. MR. J. P. FARRELL: I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland will he grant a Return showing the expenses incurred by the drainage boards of County Longford, and also of the Rynn and Black River Drainage Board in County Leitrim; and will he state whether in cases of non-elected boards now managing districts, the owners of the lands in which have become peasant proprietors, any change will be made to admit representatives of tenants on these boards. MR. ATKINSON (for Mr. WYNDHAM): The information desired in the first part of the Question will be communicated to the hon. Member. The second part of the Question appears to be based on a misconception. There are no non-elected drainage boards. Tenants who have become, or who may hereafter become proprietors of lands benefited by drainage works, have a statutory right to vote in the election of drainage boards. Rathcline (Annally) Estate. MR. J. P. FARRELL: I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he can state how many of the tenants on the Rathcline (Annally) Estate are still denied the rights of purchase; and whether, in the case of those so remaining, he will represent to the Receiver the advisability, in the interests of the estate, of accepting the tenants' offers, and let the sales go through. MR. ATKINSON (for Mr. WYNDHAM): I am awaiting a report from the Land Judge's Court in this matter. Perhaps the hon. Member will be good enough to repeat the Question to morrow. Bangor (County Down) Postal Service. MR. JOSEPH DEVLIN (Kilkenny, N.): I beg to ask the Postmaster-General whether representations have been made to the authorities in favour of a better postal service for Bangor, County Down; whether he is aware that the present system of collection and delivery of letters has caused inconvenience, especially to the Belfast business men resident in Bangor; and whether he will provide. for a better service, which will include an earlier delivery in the morning and a later collection of letters in the evening. MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAIN : Representations have been made by the Bangor (County Down) Urban District Council respecting additional postal facilities at that place, and I have under consideration arrangements for improving the service, including an earlier delivery in the morning and a later collection of letters in the evening. Lough Swilly Railway. DR. THOMPSON: I beg to ask the Secretary to Board of Trade whether he can explain why the Londonderry and Lough Swilly Railway Company are not obliged to obey the rules and regulations of the Board of Trade. MR. GERALD BALFOUR: I regret that I am unable to add to the reply made to the hon. Member's Question in this matter on the 6th July,† except to say that the Board have communicated with the company as recently as the 28th of that month, and are pressing for a reply. Port of London Bill. the First Lord of the Treasury whether, SIR ALBERT ROLLIT: I beg to ask having regard to the public interest in the Port of London Bill, it is intended to proceed with it this session; and, if not, whether, being cognate to a private Bill, it cannot be carried over and resumed next session. THE PRIME MINISTER AND FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR, Manchester, E.): In answer + See (4) Debates, cxxiv., 1413. to my hon. friend, I have to say that I do not think it would be practicable at the present period of the session, and in the present state of public business, to proceed with the discussion of this Bill on Report. On the other hand, it is quite clear, I think, that the Bill, for all essential purposes, ought to be ranked as a private Bill and treated as a private Bill, so that the immense expenditure incurred by persons interested in the Bill should not be entirely thrown away, as it would be if the Bill were dropped. I propose, therefore, to apply to this Bill the practice which the House has so long sanctioned in regard to private Bills, and I shall put down a Motion the effect of which will be to carry it over to next session, to enable the Government to resume it next session at the precise point we leave it this session. MR. JAMES LOWTHER (Kent, Thanet) I suppose it will be made perfectly clear that this course, being taken with general concurrence, and under exceptional circumstances, will not be regarded as a precedent? MR. A. J. BALFOUR: I can entirely reassure my right hon. friend on that point of view. I have had that point of view very carefully in my mind, and I can assure him that this will not be applied as a precedent for dealing with public Bills. MR. SYDNEY BUXTON (Tower Hamlets, Poplar): Does the right hon. Gentleman propose to take the Motion to-morrow? MR. A. J. BALFOUR: As to general business, I may say that I propose to take the Second Reading of the Appropriation Bill to-morrow instead of on Wednesday, because the course of business in another place makes it impossible to take the Lords Amendments to the Irish Land Bill to-morrow. They will be taken on Wednesday, and the Resolution to which the hon. Gentleman refers will also be taken on Wednesday. The Lords Amendments will come first, and the Cunard Agreement next. MR. T. M. HEALY I hope the Motor-Car Bill will not be taken till to-morrow, as we have not yet had an opportunity of seeing the promised Amendments. MR. A. J. BALFOUR: I hope to take the Motor-Car Bill to-morrow, after the Second Reading of the Appropriation Bill. I have every reason to believe that it will not lead to any prolonged debate. MR. CHANNING (Northamptonshire, E.): What does the right hon. Gentleman propose to do with the Prevention of Corruption Bill? MR. A. J. BALFOUR: If I had reason to believe it was a non-contentious Bill I should be most happy to do anything I could to pass it, but I cannot hold out any expectation either to myself or to the House that that is the case. MR. CHANNING asked whether the right hon. Gentleman would consider the desirability of giving the Bill a good place in the programme of next session? MR. A. J. BALFOUR: The Government are quite alive to the importance of the subject. MR. BRYCE (Aberdeen, S.): When does the right hon. Gentleman propose to take the First Reading of the Appropriation Bill, and will the orders on the Paper be taken to-night as they stand? MR. A. J. BALFOUR: Not precisely as they stand. I have given a pledge to bring on the Public Building Expenses Bill before twelve if possible, and that will come on after Report of Supply and the First Reading of the Appropriation Bill. Then will come the Lords Amendments to the Education Bill, the Expiring Laws Continuance Bill, the Housing of the Working Classes, and the Revenue. I shall only then take Third Readings. SIR F. DIXON-HARTLAND (Middlesex, Uxbridge): Will the Bills of Exchange Act (Second Reading) be taken ? MR. A. J. BALFOUR: No, I have said in addition to the Bills I have named I shall only take Third Readings. |