§ MR. WEIRI beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether he has received a memorial from the Highland Railway Company pointing out that the Light Railways Act, 1896, in so far as it applies to the Highlands and Islands of Scotland has proved a failure; and, having regard to the fact that the assistance rendered by the Treasury for the formation of light railways in the poorer districts of Ireland is far more liberal than that given to Scotland, will the Government consider the expediency of placing 582 the districts in each country which come within the operations of the Congested Districts Acts on an equal footing so far as light railways are concerned.
§ MR. HANBURYI have read the memorial from the railway company, who naturally approach the question from their own point of view, which is not necessarily the same as that either of local interests or of the community at large. I cannot admit the propriety of comparisons with Ireland; but I may say that the local assistance towards railways in that country has been very considerable, though in a different form from that contemplated in Great Britain. I can hold out no hopes of any amendment in the Light Railways Act.