§ MR. BIGGARasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, 1704 If his attention has been called to the Correspondence which has taken place between the Belfast Board of Guardians and the Local Government Board, wherein it has been distinctly charged and not denied that the duties of the entire Board of Guardians has for some time past been discharged by the Chairman himself in the absence of a quorum of the Board, and one hour before the appointed time fixed for the weekly meetings of the Board; if his attention has been drawn to the deputy clerk's explanation relative to his conduct on the 12th and 19th September 1882; and, if he has official knowledge of the Local Government Board having declined to order an investigation into the circumstances?
§ MR. TREVELYANSir, I have seen the Correspondence referred to in this Question, and find from it that in September last Mr. Stewart, one of the Guardians of the Belfast Union, represented to the Local Government Board that the Chairman had transacted some of the business before the Board of Guardians assembled and before a quorum was formed. The Local Government Board thereupon communicated with the Guardians; and, finding that this practice existed, they pointed out its irregularity, and it was at once discontinued. When this subject was brought before the Guardians they passed a resolution expressing entire confidence in their Chairman by a majority of 24 to 1, Mr. Stewart alone dissenting. The charge against the Assistant Clerk was, that he read the minutes before there was a quorum; and he has explained that this was part of the business disposed of by the Chairman before the proper time. The proceedings referred to were irregular; but there are no grounds for supposing that the Chairman and Assistant Clerk were influenced by any improper motives; and as the statements made were not denied, and as there were no facts in dispute and the practice was discontinued when the attention of the Guardians was called to its irregularity, the Local Government Board saw no necessity for the investigation asked for by Mr. Stewart, and declined to grant it.