§ LORD ARTHUR HILLasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether the authorities at the Local Government Board were aware, when they refused to ratify the recommendation of the Belfast Board of Guardians in favour of appointing the Rev. Saml. M'Comb to the vacant Presbyterian Chaplaincy of the workhouse, that the Rev. Gentleman was a Conservative and an Orangeman; and, whether, when they ignored the recommendation of the Board of Guardians by nominating the Rev. W. Montgomery 1147 to that Chaplaincy, the authorities were aware that this Gentleman was a warm supporter of Her Majesty's Ministers?
§ MR. TREVELYANSir, the Local Government Board were aware of the political views of both the rev. gentlemen; but this knowledge did not influence them in selecting the Rev. Mr. Montgomery. That gentleman was unquestionably the most suited for the appointment, he having for some considerable time acted as locum tenens during the illness of the previous chaplain, and his church and manse being close to the workhouse, while the Rev. Mr. M'Comb's church was at the other end of the town and his residence still further away. Moreover, the balance of Presbyterian opinion among the Guardians appears to have been in favour of Mr. Montgomery.