§ MR. T. M. HEALY (Louth, N.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been called to the allegations made in the Report of the Howth Rights of Way Association to the effect that the War Department has parted with certain Crown lands at Sutton over which rights of way existed, and granted them to a Mr. Jameson, purporting in the deed of exchange to extinguish the public rights of way previously existing from time immemorial; what moved the War Office to enter into this transaction; who is the official responsible: is the matter finally closed, or is there any means of recalling what has been done; under what Act and by whose signature are Crown lands presented to private persons; and, at whose instance was the clause affecting rights of way inserted in the deed.
§ MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANI am obliged to the hon. Member for having put off this question and afforded me time for fully inquiring into it. The War Department possessed a right of way across certain property at Sutton and a roadway beyond, leading to the sea-face. For mutual convenience these were exchanged for a right-of-way leading to the same point through another part of the estate. No public right of way was extinguished and the respective properties remained subject to any existing rights-of-way (other than those of the War Department) and other easements, none of which are affected by any clause in the Deed of Exchange. There was no gift of land made to a private person, and I am unable to see that the public in any way suffer by the arrangement.
§ MR. T. M. HEALYasked whether the right hon. Gentleman would be good enough to consider the Rights of Way Association in this matter, by allowing inspection by their solicitor of the deeds and documents which, I presume, are in the hands of the Chief Crown Solicitor in Ireland.
§ MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANI do not know whether there would be anything unusual in that request, bons on the face of it, I do not see anyt[...]ber unreasonable in it. There is not whose to conceal. We are not a party to ded; surrender of any public right whatevuni[...]
§ MR. T. M. HEALYwished to know what advantage the country had attained by this transaction.
§ MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANThe public have not given up anything to the individual proprietor. The War Office have given up their right of way over one piece of ground in order to get it over another piece of ground, which suits them just as well, and they have only parted with their own right of way.
§ MR. T. M. HEALYinquired whether the proposal came from Mr. Jameson or from the War Office in the first instance?
§ MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANThe transaction was for the mutual convenience of the War Office and of Mr. Jameson, and did not affect any public right in any way. I have not been over the ground myself, but, from the plans and all the information which I have received, I do not think that the public-are in any way damnified.
§ MR. T. M. HEALYinquired whether the House would be allowed an opportunity of discussing this subject, and whether the Government would lay all the documents on the Table of the House?
§ MR. CAMPBELL BANNERMANI do not know whether it is usual, or whether in this instance, a sufficient case, is made out for the production of the documents. If it will suit my hon. Friend's purpose, I have no objection to his seeing the documents.
§ MR. T. M. HEALYI beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether the Irish officers of the Inland Revenue have [...] the attention of the Treasury to the [...] action of Mr. Andrew Jameson who seeks to exclude the public from the user of the road from the Coast Guard Station at Sutton through the property he recently acquired; have the coastguards patrolled the cliffs at Sutton during the whole of the present century for the prevention of smuggling; and will the Inland Revenue be represented in Court when Mr. Jameson's claim is heard?
§ THE SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Sir JOHN HIBBERT,) Oldham[...] attention of the Treasury has not [...]called to this matter, and from in-[...] es which I have hastily made from [...]Inland Revenue, it does not appear [...]a case affecting that Board in any 1692 way. I need not inform my hon. Friend that the Coastguard are under the directions of the Admiralty.