§ MR. MACVEAGH (Down, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is prepared to introduce a Bill assimilating the law in Ireland with that of England in reference to extraordinary traffic on roads, as dealt with in The Highways and Locomotive (Amendment) Act, 1878, The Locomotive Act, 1898, and The Locomotive Act, 1861.
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (Mr. WALTER LONG, Bristol, S.)I am unable to give any undertaking to introduce legislation on this subject in the present session.
§ *MR. CATHCART WASON (Orkney and Shetland)Before the law is altered, will inquiry be made as to the state of the roads?
§ MR. WALTER LONGI am not sure that an inquiry is necessary. The Question asks if I am prepared to assimilate 1383 the law in the two countries. As to the necessity of that there can be no dispute.
§ *MR. CATHCART WASONBut the right hon. Gentleman has altered the law in England.
MR. WALTERNo, Sir. We are discussing total[...] different things. The Question refers not to motor-cars but to the power of local authorities to make special charges upon the users of heavy engines on their roads.
§ *MR. CATHCART WASONI beg the right hon. Gentleman's pardon. He has altered the law in England and Scotland.