§ MR. BODKIN (Roscommon, N.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been called to a notice of the Board of Works in Ireland that the Lock at Jarmonbarry, on the Shannon, will be closed from the 28th of April to the 5th of June for the purpose of repairs; will he make inquiries whether such closure will for that long period stop the entire traffic on the Shannon between the towns of Carrick-on-Shannon and Athlone (which traffic has grown more considerable and important by reason of the increase of the railway rates); and whether, with due preparation, the necessary repairs could be completed in a much shorter period?
*MR. J. MORLEYNo formal notice as to closing the lock has been issued, but communications on the subject took place with the Grand Canal Company, and it was decided on the 27th April that no closure should take place for the present in order that arrangements might be made for expediting the works of repair, so as to cause as little interruption to the traffic as possible.