§ Mr. M'MORDIEasked if the Local Government Board Health Commission, which sat in Belfast in 1907, the Royal Commission on Sewage Disposal in their Seventh Report, and the Select Committee of the House of Commons, which dealt with the Belfast Corporation Bill this Session, all recommended the reclamation of the 410 sloblands on the county Down side of Belfast Lough, and which they regarded as dangerous to the public health of the city, and if, notwithstanding these recommendations, the Board of Trade are about to execute a conveyance to the Belfast Harbour Commissioners of that portion of the sloblands on which the nuisance exists in the greatest degree, without any covenant binding them to reclamation, although the Belfast Corporation have urged the Board of Trade to insert such a covenant, and, failing that, have expressed their willingness to apply to Parliament for authority to reclaim this area if conveyed to them, on the terms that the corporation should sell to the Belfast Harbour Commissioners, at a price to be fixed by arbitration, such portion of the area, when reclaimed, as the commissioners may require for harbour purposes; and what action it is proposed to take?
Mr. ROBERTSONI am aware of the documents mentioned by the hon. Member. Negotiations for the sale of the slob-lands under the management of the Board of Trade to the Belfast Harbour Commissioners were commenced some years before any of the recommendations as to reclamation were made, but the question of the sale and reclamation of such lands or part thereof has been the subject of correspondence between the Board of Trade, the Belfast Corporation, and the Belfast Harbour Commissioners for some time past, and the position is very much as indicated in the question. Correspondence, however, is still passing on the subject, and before executing a conveyance to the Harbour Commissioners the Board may find it desirable to invite representatives of the corporation and the commissioners to discuss the matter with them.