MR. PATRICK O'BRIENI beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether he has seen a letter of Mr. Kirk-land, manager of the Grand Canal Company, in which he states that, although his company pays over £2,000 a year in tolls to the Government through the Irish Board of Works, they refuse to reduce the tolls or afford facilities for carrying on their trade with Limerick; that in the year 1898 the towing-path on the Government Canal between Killaloe and Limerick was so flooded that the Grand Canal Company's traffic was stopped, and that their boat cargoes had to be sent by rail from Killaloe to Limerick; also that 975 the crane at Banagher recently broke down, killing a man; and also that the Grand Canal Company have been charged tolls on as much as five tons per boat more cargo than they got freight for themselves; and whether he will inquire into the truth of these complaints, and see that such a reduction of tolls is made and such facilities for trading be afforded where the Government have control (notably under the Board of Works) as will enable the Grand Canal Company's trading competition to be maintained in the public interest.
§ MR. G. W. BALFOURI answered this question yesterday. I promised to look into the matter and report to the hon. Member.