§ MR. M'CARTANI beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether his attention has been called to a report in the Irish, News of the 17th instant, in which it is stated that five fishermen of Newcastle, County Down, were drowned on Monday last; whether he is aware that, owing to the insufficiency and danger of the Newcastle harbour, the fishermen are obliged to expose their lives in small boats unsuited for deep-sea fishing; and whether, considering the repeated warnings given to the Government as to the danger caused to the lives of the fishermen at Newcastle, owing to the present state of the harbour, steps will now be taken to provide safe and sufficient harbour accommodation there?
§ COLONEL WARING (Down, N.)In relation to this subject, I beg to ask the right hon. Gentleman if he is aware that the charge for the harbour was forced upon the Grand Jury of County Down in spite of their protest and their representations that it was unsuitably placed, that it was faulty in construction, and that its maintenance was quite beyond the means of the local rates?
SIR J. GORSTI am afraid it is not possible for me to be aware of these details upon Irish questions. In reply to the question on the Paper, I can only refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my predecessor in Office on 7th March, 1890, and by the late Chief Secretary for Ireland on 30th April, 1891, to which, I am sorry to say, I can add nothing.
§ DR. TANNERBut has the right hon. Gentleman had his attention drawn to the fact that these men lost their lives through the non-completion of Government work, a non-completion to which 887 for many years, attention has been drawn by questions in this House? Is he prepared to sanction a state of things which tends to destroy life?
§ COLONEL WARINGI will put down my question for a future day.