§ MR. P. J. POWER (Waterford, E.)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, in view of a promise he made to a deputation of ratepayers who waited on him last week, when he will be in a position to inform the ratepayers of the county and city of Waterford, who are paying £14,000 a year to the Waterford, Dungarvan, and Lismore Railway Company, what action the Government propose to take with regard to that Company; and whether the scheme which the Treasury stated they were considering, and which they promised would be submitted to the ratepayers before being adopted, will be made known before the Vote for the Board of Works is taken?
§ MR. HANBURYI have already informed a deputation, of which the hon. Gentleman was a member, that before any arrangement was finally completed I would make public what our general proposal was, and postpone the Board of Works Vote in order to afford an opportunity for its discussion, if necessary. The decision must, of course, rest with the Treasury and the House of Commons, though the interest of the ratepayers and others concerned will be fully borne in mind. I must repeat, however, what I stated to the deputation—that the locality served by the line is not in the same position as a congested district.
§ MR. P. J. POWERMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether it is the fact, as reported in the Welsh papers, that the Midland Railway Company of England are negotiating for the purchase of this line; and I wish further to ask him, in connection with his reply, how he will arrange to take the opinion of the people concerned on this matter?
§ MR. HANBURYI made no promise to take the opinion of the ratepayers. I only said that they should be informed before the decision was arrived at.