§ MR. W. J. CORBETasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ire- 1703 land, Whether he is aware that an application was recently made to the Board of Public Works on behalf of a number of occupiers of land in the county Wick-low, adjacent to the Railway Station at Kilcool, intimating their desire to obtain a joint loan for the purpose of arterial drainage, and that the Board declined to entertain the matter on the ground that they have no power; and, whether he will inquire into the circumstances, and if necessary propose a Clause in the Loans Consolidation Bill, promised by the Financial Secretary to the Treasury, to meet such cases?
§ MR. COURTNEYSir, the facts are as stated; but it should be added that opportunity was given to the occupiers to apply for separate loans. I am not sufficiently informed as to the details of this particular case to be able to say whether it could be met by an enlargement of the definition of owner in the Arterial Drainage Acts; but that is a point to be considered in connection with the Consolidation Bill.