§ SIR COLMAN O'LOGHLENsaid, he would beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, What, up to the present time, has been the cost of the Irish Railway Commission; when the Return, ordered on the 24th of June last, of the details of the expenditure of that Commission will be laid upon the Table of the House; and, whether the labours of that Commission are now closed, or whether there is any foundation for the statement that has been made in the Public Press, that the Commissioners have been asked by the Government for a Supplemental Report with reference to the purchase of Irish Railways?
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERsaid, in reply, that, up to the present time, the cost of the Irish Railway Commission had been a little over £22,000. It could hardly be said that the labours of the Commissioners had been finally closed, because the Commissioners in their Report stated that if there was any other question on which they could afford assistance to the Government they would be happy to do so. With regard to the latter part of the hon. Baronet's Question, it was sub- 848 stantially true that the Commissioners were making a Supplemental Report, because questions had been put to them on certain matters which would call for such a Report. The Commissioners had not been asked to present a Report as to the desirability of the purchase of Irish Railways by the Government, but they had been asked to make certain estimates with reference to such a purchase which might, no doubt, materially influence the mind of the Government on that subject. The Return alluded to by the hon. Baronet was in the hands of the printer, and he hoped it would be placed on the table this week.