HC Deb 03 April 1884 vol 286 cc1485-6
MR. MAYNE

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, If his attention has been drawn to the fact that the Grand Jury of the County Tipperary have refused a guarantee for the construction of n Railway from Gooldscross to Cashel; whether the guarantee was refused, on the plea that there was not unanimity on the part of the ratepayers, although both the proposals on the subject submitted to the grand jury were supported by an overwhelming majority of the ratepayers proposed to be taxed; whether the need for the line of Railway was admitted by the grand jury in granting the concession to make it; whether, in order to protect the public interests in a case of this kind, the Government will consider the advisability of establishing a right of appeal from the grand jury to the going judge of assize, or to the Board of Works; and, whether the doubt expressed by one Irish grand jury, as to the sufficiency of the protection afforded to the ratepayers by section ten of the Tramways Act of last year, is held to be valid by the Law Officers of the Grown in Ireland?

MR. TREVELYAN

Sir, I have not yet received any Report of the proceedings before the Grand Jury; but, from such information as has been supplied to me, it appears that the Grand Jury considered and decided the case upon what they regarded as its merits. It would be premature as yet for Government to review the working of the Act, and propose amendments, should such be required. I do not quite understand the last paragraph of the hon. Member's Question. The Attorney General informs me that he is not aware what is the "doubt" to which the hon. Member refers, and therefore cannot express any opinion as to the validity of the point raised. If the hon. Member will confer with me, I will have inquiries made.

MR. GRAY

inquired if the right hon. Gentleman had any objection to grant a Return setting forth the applications made under the Tramways Act, and how they had been treated by the Grand Juries?

MR. TREVELYAN

Perhaps the hon. Member will put a Question to me on the subject at the beginning of next week.