MR. FIELDI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that of the fish landed on the English coast 90 per cent. was conveyed to market by the railroads, whilst of the fish landed on the Irish coast only 30 per cent. was con- 242 veyed to market by Irish railroads, and that the Irish Congested Districts Board have recently reported concerning the fishing industries they are trying to establish that they were unable to bear the railway rates; and, whether, in view of these facts vouched for in the Blue Books, the Irish Government propose to take any practical steps to reform the Irish railway rates and management.
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (Mr. G. W. BALFOUR,) Leeds, CentralI am aware of the facts referred to in the first part of the question. The observations attributed to the Congested Districts Board will be found at page 22 of their recently published Report; what the Board stated was that the fishing industry could not be regarded as being so thoroughly established that it could safely bear the present rates for carriage. It is not the intention of the Irish Government, as at present advised, in connection with the question of railway rates to go beyond the provisions inserted in the Agricultural and Technical Instruction Act of last session.