MR, GINNELLTo ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, if he will state who are the members of the Upper Inny Drainage Board, so far as relates to Westmeath; when and how have they been appointed; what are the constitution and powers of the Board; is the Board now operative; what are its liabilities in respect of outlay already incurred; what is the date of the latest official engineering report; when tenants suffer from their farms and bogs being flooded, and the landlords expecting to sell their estates refuse to take action, will the Board of Works have the necessary drainage carried out; and in cases of sale how will charges for the drainage be dealt with in relation to tenanted land and in relation to untenanted land.
(Answered by Mr. Bryce.) I have ascertained from the Board of Works that information as to the names of the members of the Drainage Board, so far as relates to Westmeath, when and how they have been appointed, what are the liabilities of the Drainage Board in respect of outlay already incurred, and the date of the latest official engineering report, can only be obtained by referring to the Drainage Board. As regards the inquiry whether the Board of Works will have the necessary drainage carried out, the Board of Works inform me that they 1044 have no power to carry out drainage works. If a drainage board which has been constituted should neglect to maintain the works, the Board of Works may, on the representation of owners or occupiers in the district, who suffer from such neglect, intervene, and if they are unable to induce the Drainage Board to act, they may, with Treasury permission carry out maintenance works themselves at the cost of the ratepayers in the district. The manner in which charges will be dealt with in cases of sale depends on the circumstances of each case and the Statutes applicable to it. The Question does not admit of a summary Answer, but it may be stated in general that capital charges are redeemed out of the purchase money, and the annual maintenance charges are paid by the purchasers. The constitution and powers of the Drainage Board can be seen by reference to the Drainage Acts, 26 and 27 Vic, c. 88, and 31 and 32 Vic, c. 158. The Board is now operative.