Mr. WILLIAM REDMONDasked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) if his Department will 1767W take action before the Railway and Canal Commissioners to protect the interests of the traders in Clare and elsewhere who may be injured by the proposals of the Great Southern and Western Railway Company to raise the rates, in defiance of the agreement made at the time of the amalgamation with the Waterford and Limerick Railway?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Department are empowered to appear as complainant on behalf of persons aggrieved in reference to matters which the Railway and Canal Commissioners have jurisdiction to hear and determine and which relate to agriculture or other rural industries. So far as the Department are aware, the Great Southern and Western Railway Company have not as yet made application to the Railway and Canal Commissioners for consent to the proposed increases of rates. The Department will be ready to appear before the Commissioners on behalf of any persons aggrieved regarding rates for the conveyance of agricultural produce or the product of any rural industry in any cases in which the evidence supplied warrants such a course.