§ Mr. JOYCEasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether his attention has been called to the fact that it is more than 30 years since that portion of the River Shannon lying between Limerick and Beigh Castle, a distance of about 18 miles, has been surveyed; and, seeing that, owing to the material changes that have taken place in this portion of the river, the charts of the survey of 1878 are now unreliable in some places, whether he will give the matter his consideration with the view of having those reaches of the River Shannon surveyed at an early date?
§ Mr. McKENNAA re-survey of these waters is of no importance so far as His Majesty's ships or destroyers are concerned, but if the work is considered to be of very great importance locally it might be practicable to make arrangements, similar to those under which the harbour of Sligo was surveyed a few years ago, the local authorities (or Irish Lights Commissioners) supplying a small steamboat and crew, and the Admiralty employing a retired surveying officer to carry out the survey. In the event of the local authorities making any such proposal, I see no objection to its being favourably considered.
§ Mr. JOYCEDoes the First Lord expect that the harbour authorities would carry out the class of works which have always been carried out by the Admiralty? Why should the harbour authorities in any harbour be asked to carry out the survey of such harbours when we know it is the duty of the Admiralty to do it?
§ Mr. McKENNAI have stated that we are quite willing, if the matter is considered of great local importance, to follow the practice which was adopted a few years ago in the case of Sligo Harbour, and re-survey on precisely the same terms.
§ Mr. HAZLETONIs the practice which the right hon. Gentleman suggests followed in the case of English harbours?
§ Mr. McKENNAI do not know that there is any similar case at all. I am quite sure, so far as equality of treatment between England and Ireland is concerned, Ireland has had her fair share.
§ Mr. HAZLETONWould the Admiralty pay?
§ Mr. McKENNAThe Admiralty would pay the officer, of course, who carried out the work. I was under the impression that my reply would have been quite satisfactory.