§ 71. Mr. HAYDENasked the Secretary to the Treasury whether the Road Board will favourably consider a proposal that Grants should usually be made on the scale of 75 per cent. of the total improvement in road crust work; and, in view of the fact that the Board are prepared to allocate further Grants up to £100,000 for the period ending 31st March, 1913, and that most of the local authorities are unaware of this sum, will the Board indicate to each county the approximate sum for which schemes may be considered; and, inasmuch as the actual execution of the works under the above £100,000 will not probably be completed before March, 1914, will the Board consider the advisability of indicating now a further allocation to each county to cover the period to March, 1914?
§ Mr. MASTERMANThe Road Board are usually prepared, within the limits of the funds available, to make a Grant of either 50 per cent. of the total cost of resurfacing or 75 per cent. of the cost of improvement in road crust work on roads which they consider suitable for Grants. Before allocating further Grants the Board desire to have certain technical advice as to the roads on which moneys can most advantageously be spent, and in order to obtain such advice they have appointed an advisory committee of Irish road engineers, who will shortly commence an inspection of a considerable mileage of Irish roads. The Board are not prepared to indicate a further allocation to each county at the present time.