§ MR. M. MCCARTAN (Down, S.)On behalf of the hon. Member for East Galway, I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, whether his attention has been called to the award made against the Tryhill Estate, county Galway, in connection with the cost of the Suck Drainage; whether he is aware that the total amount of rent of the land drained on 24 holdings amounts to £54 14s. 9d., and that the proposed annual addition for drainage is £51 8s. 2d.; and, whether, considering that this addition would be almost double the annual rent at present payable, and having in view the very low prices obtainable for produce, he will consider what can be done in relief of these tenants?
§ THE SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Mr. R. W. HANBURY,) PrestonThe Board of Works understand that this question refers to the estate of the late Bishop Gillooly, in the townlands of Tryhill East and Tryhill West. They have no knowledge of the rent. The circumstances are as follows:—In the draft award a charge of £30 17s. 10d. was assessed on the occupiers, and £23 (in addition to £8 16s. 6d. for maintenance) on the proprietor; but at the inquiry it was discovered that the tenants held under 99 years leases, and therefore, for the purposes of the Drainage Acts, are proprietors as well as occupiers, and are liable for the payment both of the occupiers' annuity, representing the actual benefit, and the proprietors' annuity, representing non-productive outlay. The result is that in the final award they are liable for £25 18s. 2d. as occupiers; £27 8s. 4d. as proprietors; and £8 11s. 11d. for maintenance. Total, £61 18s. 5d.; not £51 8s. 2d. The award was made under the provisions of the River Suck Drainage Act, 1889, and there is no power to make any reduction.