§ Mr. JEREMIAH MacVEAGHasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that Local Government Board for Ireland has sanctioned a loan of £15,500 to the Newtownards Urban District Council, repayable in 40 years, for carrying out a sewerage scheme for the town of Newtownards; whether the urban council desired an interview, by deputation, with the Local Government Board, with the object of getting the period for repayment extended to 50 or 60 years, as in some other towns, and that the Board refused to receive the deputation; and whether, in view of the facts that the valuation of the urban district is only £14,000, that the average valuation of each house is about £5, and that at present the urban council is also carrying out a water scheme at a cost of £18,500, and is now commencing the sewerage scheme at a cost of £15,500, he will make a representation to the Local Government Board to reconsider their decision, with the view of increasing the number of years for the repayment, so as to enable the sanitary authority to carry out other necessary sanitary reforms without unduly increasing the rates, which have latterly increased from 3s. 6d. to 7s. in the£?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe loan has been sanctioned for the period stated. The Local Government Board do not sanction sewerage loans for periods of 50 or 60 years, and as the council had been informed on two occasions that 40 years was the longest period which could be allowed for the repayment of the loan, the Board did not think it desirable that a deputation from the council should be put to the trouble and expense of coming from Newtownards to Dublin in support of an application which could not be complied with. The maximum period usually allowed for such works is 30 years, but the Board in this case took into consideration the fact that a local Act had been obtained, and they allowed 40 years—the period allowed in similar circumstances in the case of a neighbouring district. The matter cannot be reopened.