§ MR. TOTTENHAMasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether his attention has been called to a circular issued by the authority of the Lord Lieutenant bearing date 9th June inst and addressed, in the form of instructions, to the justices and associated cesspayers at extraordinary baronial presentment sessions, and which directs that, where no tender for the execution of certain works shall have been accepted, the secretary of the grand jury shall give the work in charge to the county surveyor, who is required forthwith to execute the same; whether such direction does not directly conflict with the discretion of the legally constituted tribunal; and, whether he will take steps to procure the recall of the circular?
§ MR. W. E. FORSTERSir, I have seen the circular, and, in fact, I may say I am responsible for it. The directions contained in it will not conflict with the discretion of any legally constituted tribunal, and I have no intention to take any steps to procure its recall. It was issued by the Lord Lieutenant under the Relief of Distress Act of 1880, to avoid the evil of any delay in proceeding with the relief works already authorized at baronial sessions.