§ MR. MELDONasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland, Whether his attention has been called to a Memorial, which was forwarded on the 4th of January last to the Lord Lieutenant, by the Executive Committee of the Dublin Sanitary Association, and assented to by the Public Health Committee of the Corporation of Dublin, praying the Lord Lieutenant to direct a public inquiry into the cause of the long-continued excessive death rate of the city of Dublin; whether, as President of the Local Government Board of Ireland, he will take any steps to have such an inquiry held; and, whether he will lay the Memorial upon the Table of the House?
§ MR. J. LOWTHERSir, my attention has been called to the Memorial to which the hon. and learned Gentleman refers, and which is now under consideration. I understand, however, that the assertion that the Memorial was assented to by the Public Health Committee of the Corporation of Dublin is not strictly correct. I believe that the terms of the Resolution passed by the Public Health Committee on the subject are to the effect that the Committee is not prepared to apply for such an inquiry as that suggested by the Dublin Sanitary Association. I am bound to say that, so far as I am at present advised, there does not appear to be sufficient ground for holding an inquiry. There is no objection to a Copy of the Memorial being laid upon the Table of the House if the hon. and learned Gentleman desires to move for it.