§ MR. W. J. CORBETasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, with reference to the election of Poor Law Guardian for the Killenkey Electoral Division of Rathdrum Union, and to the objection made to the return by Mr. John Gaskin, one of the candidates, on the ground that votes were improperly received by the clerk of the union in his capacity of returning officer, Whether it is true that the Local Government Board refused Mr. Gaskin a scrutiny of the voting papers, stating that they were quite satisfied with the explanation given by the returning officer; whether, on being furnished with specific objections by Mr. Gaskin, the Board, in a letter to him dated the 24th May 1882, made the following admission:—
In regard to Dr. Truell's own votes as landlord, the Board do not think the returning officer ought to have allowed more than six votes, and they are in communication with the returning officer on this subject; but the additional six votes did not affect the final result of the election;whether he will now, as President of the Local Government Board in Ireland, order an independent investigation to be held as to the validity and exact number of the votes taken at the election in question; and, whether he has any objection to lay the Correspondence on the subject upon the Table of the House?
§ MR. TREVELYANSir, it is very important that the public should be satisfied that elections have been con- 1239 ducted according to law, and where there is reasonable uneasiness there is no objection to ordering an inquiry. I have communicated with the Local Government Board to this effect.