§ MR. LEAHY (Kildare, S.)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, If he has received a Resolu- 1836 tion passed unanimously by the Athy Board of Guardians, and if the Government will consider the great hardship of putting the expense of administering the Franchise Acts upon the rates, and of the requisition forms which they deliver in respect of the Household Franchise, which are returned through the Post Office, in most instances with the postage unpaid, thereby involving payment of double postage at the cost of the union, and making an estimated addition of £7,000 from all Ireland; and, whether he will take some action to remedy it by legislation or otherwise?
§ MR. P. J. O'BRIEN (Tipperary, N.)asked whether a similar resolution was passed by the Nenagh Board of Guardians?
§ MR. P. M'DONALD (Sligo, North)asked whether a similar resolution was passed by the Sligo Board of Guardians?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Mr. JOHN MORLEY) (Newcastle-on-Tyne)Not only those Boards mentioned, but other Boards throughout Ireland, have passed resolutions of which mention has been made in favour of the cost of the administration of the Registration Acts being made an Imperial instead of a local charge, and also in favour of free postage of the registration forms relating to household suffrage. The latter question is at present before the Law Officers of the Crown in England. As regards the former, I can only repeat what I said on a former occasion, that the matter is one for the Treasury, and obviously concerns England and Scotland as much as Ireland.