§ MR. WATT (Glasgow, Camlachie)asked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether a Committee was appointed by the Government of Lord Derby in 1867 to arrive at an estimate as to the value of the Irish railways, preliminary to purchase; whether the proposal was supported by 76 Peers and 90 Irish Members of both Parties; whether said Committee reported unanimously in favour of State purchase; and, what was the reason why the scheme was not carried out?
§ THE FIRST LORD (Mr. W. H. SMITH) (Strand, Westminster), in reply, said, the hon. Member had misunderstood the Reference made to the Committee. The terms of that Reference expressly excluded from consideration the question of the purchase of Irish 1410 railways by the State, and the Committee, therefore, made no recommendation on the point. He had no information as to the reasons which led the Government in power which came into Office in 1868, after the Report was presented, to proceed no further with the recommendations.