§ COLONEL NOLAN (Galway, N.)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury if many occupiers on the banks of the Suck are paving to the State a sum for drainage charges considerably larger than the annual value of the improvements effected by the Suck drainage on their holdings; if such a fact is not within his personal or official knowledge, would he obtain a Report from the Irish Board of Public Works on the subject; if he is aware that the original expenditure on the Suck drainage was largely increased by the state of the law on compensation for mills; and, considering the excessive charges and the fact that large portions of the counties of Galway and Roscommon already help through the rates the occupiers of the drained area, would he in some way alleviate the present condition of the occupiers of the banks of the Suck, either by a contribution from the Treasury or by extending the time of payment.
§ MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINNo, Sir. The unproductive expenditure is borne by the proprietors, and the charge on the occupiers is based on the actual increase in the value of their holdings, as determined after a local inquiry held in 1895, at which all the parties interested had an opportunity of being heard. The compensation paid for milling interests was considerable, but it did not affect the annuity chargeable on the occupiers. The hon. and gallant Member will find a full account of the circumstances in the 63rd Report of the Commissioners of Public Works (C 7819 of 1895.)