§ MR. KENNYasked the Secretary to the Treasury, If he can state why the Scarriff Drainage Works, for which an Act was passed in 1880, have not been carried out; and if it was owing to the failure of the Board appointed under the Act to perform their portion of the undertaking that the matter has so far collapsed; and, if he is aware that the Act expires next year, and if the tenants of the district can now borrow on their own security the sum required to execute the said works; and, if so, whether facilities to do so will be extended to them?
§ MR. COURTNEYSir, the works in this drainage district have not been proceeded with by the Local Board, whose duty it was to carry them out. The period allowed by the Act expires next year; but the Board of Works can prolong it for three years more, and will, of course, do so if desired. The Drainage Board 43 alone has power to do the work, and I hope that they will see their way to take it up and complete it. In the event of any persistent reluctance on the part of such authorities to carry through the schemes for which they are constituted, it might be necessary to consider of other combinations for the purpose of performing them.