§ MR. ARTHUR O'CONNORasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether any complaints were made to the Local Government Board, both this year and last year, as to the action of the Clerk of the Carlow Union in withholding large numbers of voting papers from duly qualified electors at the last two elections for guardians; whether the Local Government Board has reason to believe that the election of guardians in 1881 was largely influenced by this undue exclusion of voters; whether the Local Government Board inspector has on more than one occasion made unfavourable reports respecting this clerk; and, whether the Local Government Board will order an investigation into the matters complained of?
§ MR. TREVELYANNO complaints were made to the Local Government Board last year as to the action of the Returning Officer. This year, before the annual election, a statement was made to the Board that several votes had formerly been lost in consequence of there being no means of distinguishing between proxy voting papers and papers for voting in person; but it was pointed out that an accidental interchange of voting papers did not invalidate the votes. A further question was raised this year as to the action of the Returning Officer in omitting from the voting papers the name of a person nominated for the office of Guardian. This was inquired into, and it was found that he acted correctly, as the candidate was not duly qualified. The Local Government Board have no reason to believe that the election of Guardians in 1601 1881 was largely influenced by the undue exclusion of voters. No unfavourable reports respecting this clerk have been made by the District Inspector in 1881 or 1882. Some time before he had noticed some instances of neglect of duty; but they had no reference to his conduct as Returning Officer. The Local Government Board see no grounds for further inquiry.