§ MR. J. L. CAREW (Dublin, College Green)On behalf of the hon. Member for Dublin, St. Patrick (Mr. W. FIELD), I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware of the dangerous condition of Wicklow Pier and the bad state of the Harbour; and that, in consequence thereof, several cargoes were lately landed in Dublin; and whether the Government intend to give a free grant of £5,000 immediately, and lend on security £60,000 at 2¾ per cent., which was the rate at which it was lent to the Egyptian Government?
§ MR. HANBURYI have no information as to the cargoes mentioned by the hon. Member. Wicklow Pier and Breakwater are quite recent works built entirely under the direction of the local Harbour Board, without any intervention by the Board of Works. Both are already in the dangerous condition described by the hon. Member, and the cost of repair is estimated at about £29,000. The Government lent the Harbour Board £6,000 in 1870, and no instalments of capital and no interest have since been paid. In 1881 and 1885 they lent a further £40,000 to construct the Pier and Breakwater in question. Early in 1895 the Treasury, while refusing a free grant, offered to wipe out 758 the old loan of £6,000 with all its arrears, to reduce the interest on the new loan to 4 per cent., and to lend £35,000 also at 4 per cent., if the town and local Baronies would guarantee it at an average cost to the rates of 2½d. in the £. In 1896 the Treasury offered a consolidated loan of £65,000 on the same guarantee, and to ask Parliament to sanction by legislation the wholly exceptional rate of 3½ per cent. interest, and to wipe out the old loan of £6,000. The Grand Jury were still not satisfied, and asked for 3⅛th instead of 3½ per cent., and there the case stands. The rate of 2¾ per cent., mentioned by the hon. Member is, he will see, not that proposed by the local authorities themselves.