The Prot>Oied Belfast Central Station and Railways. 5 t 



in considering this scheme will not be led away from the mam 

 thing, let us have our Railway and our Central Station. I 

 believe it would not only largely accommodate the present 

 traffic, but would increase it. This tendency to run away into 

 details is rather ill advised. It reminds me of a story regarding 

 a shipwreck not long ago. — A farmer went down on the back 

 of an old grey mare to the rescue. He backed the mare into 

 the water where he saw a man struggling for his life. '• Haud 

 on by the tail," the farmer shouted. " Naw, naw," cried the 

 other, '* she might kick." *' Toots, mon," replied the farmer, 

 " what's a kick compared to droonin' .?" The kick was a small 

 thing compared with the man's life, and all these things are 

 small compared with the great issue before you. The details 

 will be thoroughly sifted and settled before the work is carried 

 out. Mr. Lanyon has had great experience in such matters ; 

 and in going with a scheme of this kind before a Parliamentary 

 Committee, it must be shown first of all that there is a great 

 necessity for it. I do not ask you to attach any importance to 

 my own opinions. I am here as one of the public myself, but 

 I ask you on the evidence and the facts before you whether it 

 is not a fair conclusion that the scheme will be a good one. I 

 also refer you to the opinion of Sir Frederick Bramwell, a 

 gentleman who has investigated matters of this kind. Our 

 scheme is very much on the lines of those of London and 

 Glasgow, and the difficulties suggested here have been overcome 

 in those instances. The Glasgow folk are very shrewd, and if 

 we follow their lines we shall not be far astray. 



Mr. Conway Scott. — I am greatly disappointed, for I expected 

 to have heard very serious and weighty objections raised to this 

 line of Mr. Lanyon's, but the objections this evening are con- 

 spicuous by their absence. My friend Mr. Munce raised an 

 objection that Mr. Lanyon did not produce certain sections 

 which he considers necessary. He also objects because certain 

 streets will be closed, but I think we may leave all these details 

 to Mr. Munce himself and the Improvement Committee. The 

 only objection that I have heard is the sketch, and I really do 



