§ MR. DONAL SULLIVAN(for Mr. ARTHUR O'CONNOR,) Donegal, E.I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade if he is in a position to lay upon the Table a copy of the contract between the Commissioners of Irish Lights and Charles Geoffrey O'Connell, of Portmagee, County Kerry, for attendance on the Bull Rock Lighthouse; whether the Commissioners determined the contract in September last; and, if so, would he state on what grounds; and what was the amount paid to Mr. O'Connell in respect of his services under the contract?
§ *THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (Sir M. HICKS BEACH,) Bristol, W.The contract between the Commissioners of Irish Lights and C. G. O'Connell for boat attendance on the Bull Rock Lighthouse was determined by the Commissioners at the end of September, 1890, in pursuance of a clause therein contained reserving to the Commissioners the power to put an end to the contract at any time by giving the contractor one month's notice. This contract, and other similar contracts for boat attendance on other lighthouses on the south-west coast of Ireland, have been determined, because the Commissioners have found it necessary to employ one steam vessel to effect the relief of several lighthouses on this exposed and stormy coast in place of several separate sailing boats for each station. Mr. O'Connell has received £331 15s. in respect of his services under the Bull Rock contract. I can let the hon. Member have a copy of the contract if he desires but it appears 1513 hardly necessary to have it printed as a Parliamentary Paper.