§ MR. SULLIVAN (Westmeath, S.)I beg to ask the Financial Secretary to the War Office, if he has received a copy of a Resolution unanimously passed by the Urban District Council of Athlone, calling on the Military authorities in Ireland to cease their competition with the industries of Athlone in supplying gas to the Midland Great Western Railway Company; and, whether, seeing that the Council have recently expended £4,500 upon improving their gasworks, steps will be taken to discontinue this competition at the hands of a taxpayers' gasworks.
LORD STANLEYThe Resolution has been received. The gas is not supplied to this railway company by the War Department, but by the contractor, who rents the War Department premises where the gas is manufactured. The contract expires in February, 1903, and I shall accordingly, be prepared to reconsider the arrangement towards the end of this year.