§ MR. CLANCY (Dublin Co., N.)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether the Treasury are asked to provide money for the rolling stock as well as for the construction of the Killybegs line; and, if so, what is the advantage of its being promoted by the West Donegal Railway Company instead of by a separate Company; whether the Board of Works in their Report recommended alterations in the plans of the promoters, which were outside their limits of deviation, and consequently impossible to be carried out; whether the Treasury will make it a condition of their agreement that the Board of Works' Report on those deviations shall be complied with; whether he is aware that this line has the worst engineering features of any of the Light Railway projects, more than one-half its length being on gradients varying from 1 in 60 to 1 in 40; 937 whether the line serves any congested district or any existing fisheries, and what is the character of the property through which it passes; and whether the engineering of the Killybegs line will be put up to competition?
§ MR. JACKSONThe answer to the hon. Member's first question is in the affirmative. There is an obvious ad vantage in the line being promoted by the Company of whoso line it is an extension, and which will be able to ensure harmonious working. On the suggestion of Major General Hutchinson alterations were recommended by the Board of Works which are outside the limits of deviation, but the consent of all parties was obtained, and the alteration was sanctioned by the Grand Jury and will be carried out. Gradients of from 1 in 60 to 1 in 44 occur over rather less than half the length, but there is a 1 in 40 gradient for about a mile. Other light railways and tramways are working with worse gradients. The line will serve a large congested district in the South West of Donegal. As regards fisheries, if the hon. Member will refer to page 37 of the Report of the Inspectors of Irish Fisheries for 1889, which was issued a, few days ago, he will find that in the Killybegs Division there are 142 fishing boats and 817 men registered, and that there are considerable fisheries in Donegal Bay, Inver Bay, at St. John's Point, at Killybegs, Teelin, Tawny, and Malinmore. The Inspectors state that the fishermen at St. John's Point suffer from not having a market for their fish, being now about 20 miles from a railway station. I have answered on a previous occasion the last paragraph of the hon. Member's question.
§ MR. CLANCYDoes the property through which this line is to pass consist of estates belonging to some half dozen of the supporters of Her Majesty's Government?
§ MR. JACKSONI have no information on that point. The fact has not been brought to my notice.
§ MR. CLANCYDid the right hon. Gentleman inquire as to the character of the property through which it is to pass?
§ MR. JACKSONThe property is described as an improving and improvable property.
§ MR. CLANCYWhy has not the engineering of the line been put up to competition?
§ MR. JACKSONI answered that question on a previous occasion.
§ MR. CLANCYIs Mr. Barton the only engineer in Great Britain or Ireland with whom no competition is to be allowed?
§ MR. JACKSONI take it that an engineer who has promoted the line, and who has been designated by the Grand Jury and by an Order in Council, is a proper engineer to appoint.
§ MR. CLANCYI beg to give notice that upon the Estimates I will call attention as fully as I can to this scandalous job.
§ MR. T. M. HEALY (Longford, N.)How much money are the Treasury going to give Mr. Barton in connection with this line?
§ [No reply was given.]