§ MR. J. P. FARRELLI beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether his attention has been called to a letter published in the Enniskillen local papers from Mr. J. Mahaffy, J.P., Belturbet, 831 complaining that the £30,000 spent on the drainage of Lough Erne has resulted in rendering the River Erne less navigable than before; and, will the Treasury direct the Board of Works to make an immediate inquiry into the management and expenditure of this board?
THE SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Mr. R. W. HANBUBY,) PrestonThe hon. Member has kindly shown me a copy of the letter to which he refers. Mr. Mahaffy complains that an excursionist steamer was stranded in the Upper Lough. He does not say whether she was in the proper channel, but he assumes (wrongly) that the Board of Works are responsible for the navigation generally. The responsibility rests with the Drainage Board, and I am advised that the Board of Works have no legal power to make the inquiry suggested.