§ MR. ROSS (Londonderry)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether his attention has been drawn to a statement in the Great Northern Railway (Ireland) Company's Report, that that Company, together with the Midland Great Western Railway (Ireland) Company, had made an offer to the Treasury of £130,000 for the Sligo, Leitrim, and Northern Counties Railway, and that no reply had been sent to the offer; and whether the Treasury intend to accept the offer?
§ SIR J. T. HIBBERTAs the hon. Member is aware, there are a large number of separate interests which have to be considered in this case, and I am sorry to say that the difficulties surrounding the question have not yet been surmounted. I am, therefore, not yet in a position to announce a decision.
§ MR. ROSSasked whether this sum of £130,000 would be sufficient to pay off the capital, and whether considerable feeling had not been caused by the employment of public money to compete with the City of Londonderry?
§ SIR J. T. HIBBERTsaid, that due regard would be had to all the interests concerned. The people in the locality through which this railway ran would, of course, have to be considered.
§ MR. SEXTONasked whether this sum of £130,000 would not still leave a balance due to the Treasury, and whether any fresh or amended offer had been made?
§ SIR J. T. HIBBERTsaid, another offer had been made, but as yet there had been no time to consider it. As a matter of fact, the sum was £120,000, not £130,000.
§ SIR J. T. HIBBERTI cannot say.