§ MR. KENDAL O'BRIENTo ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will explain why the understanding come to with the Tipperary County Council, that they would be afforded an opportunity of being represented at the arbitration in connection with the Cashel Extension Railway guarantee, was not carried out, inasmuch as the notice given, only a few days, was insufficient to enable the council to 1518 make the necessary arrangements to be represented.
(Answered by Mr. Lloyd-George.) The Act of Parliament under which these arbitrations are held does not require notice to be given to the guaranteeing local authorities, but the arbitrator, with whom the Board of Trade have communicated on the subject, states that he wrote to the secretary of the county council on the 13th February telling him that he would sit at Kingsbridge station on the 20th of the same month to hear objections, if any, to the signing of the necessary certificate. The arbitrator subsequently held a further hearing of objections yesterday, the 28th instant, at which the county council, to whom he had given notice of this hearing on 20th March, were represented. The arbitrator adds that, although he considers the notice given by him was in both instances sufficient, he will, in future, increase it to fourteen days.