§ MR. J. P. FARRELL (Cavan, W.)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade, whether he will direct that an inspecting officer of railways will examine the state of the Royal Canal between Ferns Lock and Kilcock on the one side, and Killucan and Enfield on the other, and report to him on the fitness of the canal for traffic; and, whether, in consideration of the fact that the Royal Canal is the property of the Midland Great Western Railway Company, who have tried to have it run dry in the interests of their line, he will direct the same officer to inquire personally into the number of men employed in dredging the canal, and where are the two steam dredges alleged to be in use?
§ MR. RITCHIEUnder 58 of George III., chap. 35, and 89 Victoria, chap. 119, provision is made for the supervision of the Royal Canal by a body appointed by warrant of the Lord Lieutenant, which embraces the three members of the Irish Board of Works. These gentlemen 1546 are in communication with the Company with regard to the fulfilment by the Company of the obligations imposed upon them by Acts of Parliament as well as with regard to the recommendations of General Hutchinson in 1894 and Major Marindin in 1895, and I am not of opinion at present that any further inspection by an officer of the Board of Trade is desirable. It is fair to the Canal Company to say that they are making a quarterly report of the progress made in carrying out the previous recommendations made by our inspectors. I may mention that I have received from the hon. Member for North Westmeath a communication covering a complaint with reference to a portion of this canal, and I will communicate with the Canal Company in regard to it.