§ MR. ANSTRUTHER (St. Andrews, &c.)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether he can give any reply to the Memorial presented to the Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury by the Commissioners of the Anstruther Union Harbour last Session, praying for a grant of money for the purposes of the said harbour?
§ SIR J. T. HIBBERTThis application has been most carefully considered by the Treasury. I find that over £80,000 has been laid out from moneys provided in one form or other by Parliament, of which £16,500 was lent by the Public Works Loan Commissioners. In addition, the interest on this loan has been remitted up to 18th October, 1892, by Act of Parliament, and the sum remitted was to be deemed a free grant. No re-payment has been made to the Commissioners in respect either of interest or the principal of the loan, and inquiries which have been made appear to show that no contribution to the cost of new works will be forthcoming from local sources, nor does the locality offer any security for a fresh advance by way of loan. The Treasury have come to the conclusion that, in this absence of practi- 166 cal support to the scheme by the locality chiefly interested, they cannot recommend Parliament to make any further grant to the harbour.