§ MR. SHEEHY (Galway, S.)(for Mr. HARRIS) (Galway, E.) asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether he is aware that the inhabitants of Ballinasloe suffer great inconvenience for want of a Town Hall 580 that could be used as a place for the transaction of public business; that there are two Halls in the town—namely, the Agricultural Hall and the Farming Society Building, both of which were erected for public uses and in a great degree by public money, but have now passed into the hands of the ground landlords who have rented them to private individuals; and, whether he is aware that the Town Commissioners have been unable to secure the Agricultural Hall as a Town Hall, though they offered to give the same rent for it as is paid at present; and, if so, would the Local Government Board, by their advice or otherwise, aid the townspeople of Ballinasloe in their legal efforts to get possession of this Hall?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR) (Manchester, E.)The Town Clerk at Ballinasloe states that inconvenience is felt for want of a Town Hall; also that the two Halls referred to are used for commercial purposes; and further, that the landlord of the Agricultural Hall had refused to dispossess the present tenant when the Town Commissioners asked him to rent the building to them. The Local Government Board will give due attention to any application made to them by the Ballinasloe Town Commissioners to sanction a loan to provide a building for a Town Hall. The Board have no further power in the matter.