MR. RICHARDSONasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury, Whether, in the course of an inquiry now being held on "Inland Navigation and Drainage in Ireland," it has been found that the powers of the Commissioners do not enable them sufficiently to investigate the complaint laid before them, in regard to the serious damage caused by the flooding of the Valley of the Upper Bann, and the lands adjoining Lough Neah and its tributaries; and, whether he will advise Her Majesty to enlarge the scope and powers of the Commissioners, and provide the Commissioners with the assistance of a competent hydraulic engineer for the purpose of reporting on a proposal placed before them, to discharge the surplus water by way of Newry?
§ LORD FREDERICK CAVENDISHThe Commission referred to in the Question of my hon. Friend was appointed to inquire into the Northern inland navigations of Ireland and their effect upon the drainage of the country. In a preliminary Report, the Commissioners asked for fresh powers to examine into the practicability and expense of a new 679 plan for improving the drainage of the Valley of the Upper Bann entirely independent of the navigations. This proposal appeared to the Treasury to be outside the scope of the inquiry intrusted to the Commission, which, in itself, is large enough to be likely to occupy much time. It further appeared that the proposal was one which should rather be dealt with under the General Drainage Acts. It was, therefore, decided not to extend the scope of the inquiry intrusted to the Commission.