Mr. HORNERasked the Chief Secretary whether his attention has been called to the judgments given in the King's Bench Division in Ireland in the case of the Cavan County Council, v. Kane, in which the defendant, the owner of a traction engine, was held liable for substantial damages for injury done to a public road by his traction engine merely travelling along the road with empty trucks; and whether, in view of the general application of this decision, he will introduce legislation on the subject?
§ Mr. BIRRELLMy attention has been called to the judgment referred to, which would appear to go a long way towards meeting the demand for an assimilation of the English and Irish law on this subject. If the hon. Member means to suggest that the owners of traction engines should be exempted from liability for damage to roads, I cannot agree with him.