§
Resolution reported;
That it is expedient to authorise the payment, out of moneys to be provided by Parliament, of an additional annual sum, not exceeding £5,000, for the purposes of "The Light Railways (Ireland) Act, 1889," and the Acts
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amending the same, and the payment, out of the Consolidated Fund of the United Kingdom, of any sums lent by the National Debt Commissioners, under the provisions of 'The Public Accounts and Charges Act, 1891,' for the commutation of the said additional annual sum.
§ MR. T. W. RUSSELL (Tyrone, S.)asked for some explanation of the Resolution.
§ *THE SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Sir J. T. HIBBERT,) Oldhamsaid, the Bill which would be introduced, if this Resolution were agreed to, was for obtaining powers to provide the remainder of the money which was pledged by the late Government for making light railways. The amount required for the purpose was £1,142,000. There was at present available under the powers of the Acts already passed £976,000, leaving a sum of £166,000 to be provided for. The Bill was intended to provide the sum. Though it was originally estimated that the sum required would be £1,145,000, that amount had been since reduced to £1,142,000, a reduction of £3,000 being effected on the original Estimate.
§ MR. T. W. RUSSELLDoes this complete the whole?
§ SIR J. T. HIBBERTIt will complete the whole.
§ MR. T. W. RUSSELLremarked that he never intended to oppose this Resolution. He simply desired information.
§ MR. BARTLEY (Islington, N.)must raise his protest against this Resolution. It was all very well to sanction the expenditure of this money under the late Government when no Home Rule was contemplated, but he protested against his constituents being taxed to provide railways for Ireland hi face of the fact that the Government were attempting to pass a Home Rule Bill which would cut off Ireland altogether.
§ Resolution agreed to.
§ Bill ordered to be brought in by Sir J. T. Hibbert and Mr. J. Morley.
§ Bill presented, and read first time. [Bill 453.]