§ MR. M'GILLIGAN (Fermanagh, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland how many miles of public roads in County Londonderry are out of contract and remain un-contracted for at the Summer Assizes, 1892; is he aware that contractors refuse to tender to keep such roads in repair, although the prices charged for their maintenance is from 10 to 15 per cent. higher, according to the county surveyor's statement, than has been the case for the past 10 years; is he aware 208 that the sum of £1,374 1s. 9d. of the money to be passed to the contractors, at the Spring Assizes for said county, was, by the directions of the county surveyor, re-presented by the Grand Jury; will he explain what legal authority has the Grand Jury or county surveyor to re-present the said money; is there an Act of Parliament for dealing with contractors who fail to properly carry out their contracts for keeping roads in repair; and, if there is, does the county surveyor for the said county avail himself of the provisions of the Act in all cases; if not, can he assign any sufficient reason for not doing so; does the county surveyor receive the full amount of money levied for the keeping in repair of those roads which are in his own hands; and does he supply the full quantity of metal mentioned in the presentment for these roads?
THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (Mr. J. MORLET,) Newcastle-upon-TyneI have called for a Report in reference to this matter, but in consequence of the engagement at Assizes of both the secretary to the Grand Jury and the county surveyor, I must ask that the question be postponed for a few days.