§ Mr. F. MEEHANasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland what steps, if any, have been taken to put into effect the representations made to him on the 21st September last by a deputation from the Ratepayers' Association of Leitrim, relative to the baronial guarantees of the Cavan and Leitrim Railway, to relieve the ratepayers of the guaranteeing area of Leitrim from the tax of 1s. 6d. in the £; whether the memorial handed to him by the deputation already referred to was laid before the Board of Trade; if so, what steps have the Board of Trade taken with regard to that memorial; if he is aware that the ratepayers desire proper development of the minerals of the district; and whether the proposed extension of the Arigna Mining Company of three miles will develop the district effectively, having regard to the supplies of coal and iron in that locality?
§ Mr. DUKEThe representations made by the deputation have been considered by the Board of Works, whose duty it is to deal with questions affecting railways like the Cavan and Leitrim Railway. The relief of the ratepayers from a liability to the shareholders in the railway which was the inducement to the shareholders to provide the necessary capital is not practicable. As to the latter part of the question, I would refer to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for North Sligo last Thursday.