§ MR. WALTER LONGI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been directed to a letter addressed, on July 3rd, to the Irish Government by the Down County Council respecting the construction of improvement works at Portavogie Harbour; and whether, with a view to the settlement of plans for carrying out these works, for which funds have been voted by Parliament, but as to the details of which there is a difference of opinion between the county conncil and the Commissioners of Public Works, he will arrange that the Commissioners shall send down their engineer to confer at Portavogie with the committee of the county council.
MR. BRYCEI am aware of the correspondence which has taken place in this matter. The difference which has arisen can hardly be described as one respecting details, seeing that the scheme now proposed by the county council is entirely different from that originally put forward by them and accepted by the Government when the right hon. Gentleman was in office. It seems, therefore, to be doubtful whether the case is one for such a conference as is suggested. If the county council are prepared to abide by the arrangement agreed upon, there will be no difficulty in carrying out the works. I understand 1060 that the Board of Works do not approve of the change of plans now put forward.
§ MR. T. L. CORBETT (Down, N.)Arising out of that Answer, might I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether the Board of Works would inform the local officials as to the local inquiry?
MR. BRYCEI presume that either the county council or the Irish Government would, but I do not know that anything would be cleared up by bringing in the officials at this stage.