§ MR. ROCHE (Galway, E.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that Mr. B. C. Moloy stated to the Roscrea Board of Guardians that be bad received a promise from the Government to increase the grant towards the re- 1594 equipment of the portumna line from £12,000 to £18,000; and whether he will take steps to secure this grant being made.
§ MR. WYNDHAMThe reply to the first paragraph is in the negative; no such, undertaking was given by the Government.
§ SMALL HOUSES ACQUISITION ACT. MR. FIELDI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he would be willing to introduce an Amendment to the Small Houses Acquisition Act, Clause 2, subsection (c), that the title to the ownership is one which an ordinary mortgagee would be willing to accept, and insert the word purchaser instead of mortgagee, and also modify Registration Clause 7 by removing the personal liability of the registrar, and the limit of time reduced to twelve years as under the Conveyancing Act.
§ MR. WYNDHAMhave already informed the hon. Member that this Act. which became law in August. 1899. has been in operation in Ireland for so limited a time as to offer insufficient grounds for considering the question of further legislation. When the Government are in a position to form an opinion as to how far it would be desirable or possible, by legislation, to modify the machinery of the Act the suggestions of the hon. Member will be considered.