§ MR. PYNE (Waterford, W.)asked the President of the Board of Trade, If he has seen the account of a railway accident which occurred on the Waterford, Dungarvan, and Lismore Railway on Monday last; is it a fact that the accident was caused by a rotten sleeper; when, and by whom, was the line last inspected; whether he will order the traffic to be stopped until the line has been re-inspected; and, if any accident happens on this guaranteed county line involving damages, will the auditor calculate the amount of expense that may be awarded as working expenses in assessing the amount of dividend payable by the ratepayers of the county on guarantee?
§ THE PRESIDENT (Sir MICHAEL HICKS-BEACH) (Bristol, W.), in reply, said, the cause of the accident would be inquired into. Before the line was opened it was inspected by a Board of Trade Inspector. That was in 1878. On March 20, 1888, the engineer of the Company, as required by the provisions of the Regulation of Railway Act, 1871, certified that the permanent way and works had been maintained in good condition up to December 31, 1887. If the Board of Trade had reason to believe that the line was in a dangerous condition they would at once order a fresh inspection. He had no knowledge which would enable him to answer the last paragraph of the Question.