§ MR. KILBRIDEI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (1) whether his attention has been called to the fact that the lands of the small holders in the counties of Galway and Mayo are being seriously deteriorated by the continued use of artificial manures; and (2) whether he will use his influence with the railway companies, whose train service touches the seaboard of those counties, to reduce the rates charged for the carriage of sea-sand and sea-weed, so that these permanently beneficial manures may be made more generally available.
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURMy attention has not been specially directed to the fact mentioned in the first paragraph. If, however, any representations are addressed to me on the subject I will be prepared to communicate them to the railway company concerned, though I have no means of exorcising any influence; in the direction suggested.