§ MR. PIMsaid, he wished to ask the Chief Secretary for Ireland, Whether his attention has been called to the working of "The Local Government (England) Act, 1858," and "The General Police and Improvement (Scotland) Act, 1862," and to the facilities afforded by those Acts to corporate and other towns in Great Britain to obtain power for the better execution of the Local Improvement Acts in force in such towns, without incurring the costs and expenses attendant upon Private Bill Legislation; whether it is his intention to propose any similar Act for Ireland, by which the advantages now enjoyed by the cities and towns of England and Scotland, and which have been so largely availed of, be extended to the cities and towns of Ireland; whether the Laws which provide for the keeping, for the auditing, and for the publication of the accounts of the municipal corporations, the boards of town commissioners, and some other public bodies in Ireland, are not very defective, and whether he intends to propose any remedy therefor; whether it is not the case that, in respect to the election of commissioners under "The Towns Improvement (Ireland) Act, 1854," equal facilities are not provided for the exercise of the Franchise as are provided for the 257 election of the English local boards under "The Public Health Act, 1818." and "The Local Government Act, 1858;" and, whether he is prepared to take this subject into consideration, and propose a remedy?
THE EARL OF MAYO, in reply, said, he quite agreed with the hon. Gentleman that the Irish Law in regard to the matter in question was defective, and it would be a great public advantage if the same facilities for obtaining provisional orders which existed under the Local Government (England) Act were provided for Ireland. He also thought that the mode of taking the polls at municipal elections for Ireland was very defective, and ought to be remedied. It would also be a great public advantage if a more effective mode were adopted for auditing the accounts of local bodies acting under the Municipal and Towns Improvement Acts. He had given directions that the Towns Improvement Act generally should be very carefully considered, for the purpose of making some amendments in it; and he hoped shortly after Easter to lay on the Table a Towns Improvement Bill which would deal with the questions to which the hon. Gentleman had referred.