§ MR. L. P. HAYDEN (Roscommon, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, whether his attention has been drawn to the charge placed upon the occupiers of land under the River Suck Drainage Acts; and whether he will take into consideration the suggestion to have the charge modified by recommending a free grant, and the reduction of the rate of interest, and extension of time for the repayment of the balance?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (Mr. GERALD BALFOUR,) Leeds, CentralI have received copies 220 of resolutions passed at a meeting held at Castlerea in December last on this subject. The charges on the occupiers, in accordance with the River Suck Drainage Act of 1889, and fixed by the final award issued so recently as October of last year, represent the actual benefit to the lands arising from the drainage works, and there is no power to modify these charges or extend the time for their payment. I may point out that Parliament, in 1889, provided a free grant of £50,000 towards the cost of the completion of these works.