IRELAND—RAILWAY AT ARDGLASS. (Hansard, 25 February 1890)

§ MR. JOHNSTON (Belfast, S.)

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether the Government have received the Report of the inquiry, held on the 24th January, in Ardglass, by Mr. John G. Barton, C.E., into the desirability of constructing a Railway from Ardglass, viâ Killough, to Downpatriok, there to join the Belfast and County Down Railway; whether he is aware that last season herrings were often sold in the morning, when they could be carted to Downpatrick, as high as £1 per mease of 635, and in the evening of the same day as low as 2s. 6d. per mease, from want of facilities for their carriage, while they have even 1155 sometimes been left to rot on the shore, and that as much as £68,000 worth of herrings have been taken in a season at Ardglass by English, Scotch, Irish, and Manx boats; whether his attention has been called to the recommendation contained in the Report of the Royal Commission on Irish Railways, 1888, that A line should be constructed from Downpatrick to the important fishing harbour of Ardglass; and whether, considering the very great value of this short proposed Railway for the development of the fishing industry of Ireland, the Government will grant the assistance required for its construction?