§ MR. THOMAS O'DONNELL (Kerry, W.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether, in view of the dangerous condition of the Tralee and Dingle Light Railway, as reported by the Irish Local Government Board Inspector, the burden which this railway is on the rates—in one year reaching over 3s. in the £—and the recent purchase by the Government of their annuity of £2,400 at a time when Consols were 111, at £80,000, he will be prepared to receive a deputation from the Kerry County Council, who represent the ratepayers burdened with this taxation, with a view to take some action towards putting the line in proper working condition.
§ MR. WYNDHAMIn June last the Lord Lieutenant, for reasons explained in a communication addressed to the county council, expressed his inability to recommend the Treasury to reopen the question of further financial assistance to this railway. If the hon. Member has new facts or figures to adduce, I will consider the advisability of receiving a deputation.
§ MR. THOMAS O'DONNELLHow is it when I put in facts that they are struck out by the Clerk at the Table?
§ *MR. SPEAKERIt is quite impossible for the House to judge of these cases at question time, nor is it the proper tribunal to deal with them. If something has been taken out of the question at the Table it is prima facie evidence that it was struck out because it controverted some rule. If the hon. Member has reason to complain he must speak to me, and put down the question again in a new form, if I consider the present form objectionable.
§ MR. THOMAS O'DONNELLA very important fact was struck out.
§ MR. WILLIAM REDMONDMay I ask whether, when a question is altered at the Table, notice of the alteration cannot be sent to the hon. Member who has put down the question, as well as the reason for the alteration.
§ *MR. SPEAKERIt is impossible to give written reasons to hon. Members. Every endeavour is made to give an hon. Member notice of any alteration, and I am quite sure it will be admitted that, if he comes to the Table, he will receive the utmost courtesy and attention. There are 143 questions on the Paper, and owing to the regrettable illness of the Chief Clerk the table is somewhat undermanned, and it is quite possible that a slip may arise now and then. I hope hon. Members will endeavour to assist the clerks at the Table in their duties.
§ MR. WILLIAM REDMONDI did not complain of incivility. I merely desired to point out that Members often came down to the House to put their questions before they were aware that any alteration had been made.
§ *MR. SPEAKERThe clerks endeavour to give notice to the Member who has put down the question, but he is not always in the House, or easily found.
MR. GIBSON BOWLESCould not a code of the rules affecting questions be laid on the Table, showing what is in order and what is not?
§ *MR. SPEAKERI think it would be very undesirable.
§ DR. AMBROSEThe form of a question which I put upon the Paper has been altered, and I received no intimation of it.
§ *MR. SPEAKERI can only say that I have inspected these debatable questions over and over again, and in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred I have found the action taken by the clerk has been perfectly justifiable, and the Member himself is very frequently in fault in not having communicated with the clerk. In the case of the hon. Member for West Kerry, who complains that his question has been altered, I am told that his question has been for several days upon the Paper in the form in which it now stands, and he has not come to the Table.