MR. PATRICK O'BRIENI beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether ho will inquire if the alleged intention of the Grand Canal Company to discontinue their steamer service between Shannon Harbour and Limerick for the carriage of goods from Dublin and intermediate places to Limerick and vice versa is in any way due to an arrangement between that company and the Great Southern and Western Railway Company and the Waterford and Limerick Railway Company, or either of them, to further increase the monopoly of the Great Southern and Western Railway Company at Limerick and other places, in case the Amalgamation Bill now before Parliament becomes law; whether he recommends in the general interest that either by an arrangement between the intending railway monopolists, or because of the action of the Irish Board of Works, this competing Canal Company's trade with Limerick should be discontinued; and can he state what steps he proposes to take to protect the public interests in this matter.
§ MR. HANBURYI have made inquiries from the Board of Works, who state that they have no information as to the alleged intention of the Grand Canal Company to abandon the traffic on the river Shannon or as to any such arrangement as that referred to between the 180 Grand Canal Company, the Great Southern and Western Railway Company, and the Waterford and Limerick Railway Company, or either of them. The answer to the second paragraph is in the negative. The Board have no knowledge of any danger to the public interest, such as suggested.
MR. PATRICK O'BRIENBut will the right hon. Gentleman ascertain if the Board of Works are putting any difficulties in the way of trade being continued?
§ MR. HANBURYI answered that question yesterday.