§ MR. D. MACALEESE (Monaghan, N.)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade if his attention has been drawn to the alleged imperfect way in which the repairs of the Clogher Valley Tramway are carried out. Is he aware that the tramway surface men, or permanent way men, are drafted from their duties on the line, and detailed to fill gravel at a river near Ballygawley, the said gravel being sold to the Great Northern Railway Company at 10s. per wagon; and that the permanent way men are also occasionally sent to Aughnacloy and Tynan to load and disload coals, while 27 miles of the tramway must remain unmanned in their absence; awl will he, in the interest of public safety, have these allegations carefully inquired into?
§ MR. RITCHIEI have communicated with the Company on the subject of the hon. Member's Question, and the reply is:—
Line inspected by James Barton, Civil Engineer, Dundalk, 27th February. He reports, permanent way continues satisfactory and line fair order throughout. We raise ballast Ballygawley river, and some is disposed of Great Northern Railway. We also unload coals for Company's use by permanent way staff drafted from gangs from which they can be spared by our inspectors.563 No representation has reached me alleging that this line is not properly maintained. If a representation is made by the bodies or persons referred to in the statute, I will take care that it is considered.