§ The House then went into Committee on the Drainage (Ireland) Bill.
§ On Clause 11 being proposed,
§ SIR W. SOMERVILLEobjected to the power now possessed by a single proprietor possessing half the land of the district to be drained, who, if he chose to hold out against the rest of the proprietors, might prevent the Act from coming into operation. Supposing there was a tract of land of 2,000 acres in extent to be drained, and one individual landowner possessed 1,000 acres; there might be ten individuals, owning 100 acres each, who were unanimous in wishing the work to be done, but this single proprietor had the power of preventing the drainage of an entire dis- 727 trict. The hon. Baronet moved an Amendment to the effect that—
In cases where there was but a single dissentient, and the rest of the landowners were unanimous, the Bill should nevertheless take effect.
§ A short discussion ensued, and the Amendment was withdrawn.
§ House resumed. Bill to be reported.
§ House adjourned at one o'clock.