§
Motion made, and Question proposed,
That a Supplementary sum, not exceeding£21,742, be granted to Her Majesty, to defray the Charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March 1881, for the Salaries and Expenses of the Office of Public Works in Ireland.
§ MAJOR NOLANbelieved this included the Board of Public Works, and, in relation to this, he would like to put a question to the Secretary to the Treasury. It seemed there was some question as to the sanitary authority of the town of Ballinasloe. The Poor Law Guardians were the sanitary authority, and, while so, applied for a loan of£500. But in the course of the last six months the Town Commissioners became the sanitary authority instead of the Poor Law Board, and were anxious to go on and expend the£500; but, unfortunately, owing to the General Election, these Town Commissioners were not fully made the sanitary authority until the middle of last July, the Provisional Order being delayed. Now, the Local Government Board and the Board of Public Works—for both were engaged in the correspondence —said they would grant the£500; but they wanted to charge 4 per cent, instead of 1 per cent, the rate at which the sanitary authority would originally have obtained the money. This was owing to no fault on the part of the Poor Law Guardians or the Town Commissioners; but simply because the Provisional Order was delayed for a few months, and so the town of Ballinasloe was to be mulcted in the difference between 1 per cent and 4 per cent. It had been referred to the authorities in Dublin, who had not given a very favourable answer; but he really thought it was a case in which the Treasury might over-ride the authorities in Dublin, and give this money at 1 per 463 cent, seeing that the money would come out of the Church Fund, and was intended for sanitary work.
§ LORD FREDERICK CAVENDISHsaid, it was a matter of the legal construction of an Act of Parliament. It was a charge placed upon the Church Fund, and he could not over-ride an Act of Parliament. But it was a hard case, and, if it was compatible with the Act, he should be glad to do it; but the hon. and gallant Member must see it was not in his power.
§ MAJOR NOLANsaid, no doubt a large number of cases of the same kind would come up in the course of the year. It might not be possible to comply with all; but if any could be considered, he hoped that of Ballinasloe would be among the number.
§ MR. BIGGARasked the Secretary to the Treasury to postpone the Vote. There were matters connected with the Vote which he would like to bring forward if he had an opportunity of doing so on Monday, or a future day, and there was no understanding that endless sums of money should be passed that night.
§ MR. T. P. O'CONNORsaid, he had a Motion in reference to Galway Harbour, and he took this opportunity of thanking the noble Lord for his courtesy in receiving a deputation on the subject. He was sorry to have to place himself in the position of backing up the proposal of his hon. Friend.
§ LORD FREDERICK CAVENDISHsaid, it was only reasonable, and he would acquiesce. He was obliged to the Committee for allowing him to make such satisfactory progress that night. He would move that the Vote be withdrawn, with the intention of taking it on Monday.
§ MR. ARTHUR O'CONNORrose to a point of Order. Some days ago, on a question of withdrawing a Vote, the Chairman ruled that being put the Vote could not be withdrawn without being decided upon.
THE CHAIRMANI said a Vote could not be postponed. The hon. Member who makes the Motion can withdraw it; but it cannot be postponed.
§ Motion, by leave, withdrawn.