MR. O'BRIENasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether the election of Poor Law Guardian for the Greenan Division of the Omagh Union has been invalidated owing to the misconduct of the returning officer in suppressing duly filled voting papers which should have been counted for the National candidate, Mr. Sievin, and illegally counting others for the Conservative candidate, Mr. Deazley; whether the Local Government Board has visited that officer with any censure; and, whether, at the new election which has been ordered, Mr. M'Knight will again be entrusted with the office of returning officer; and, if so, what guarantee the National candi- 2087 date has against a repetition of the returning officer's misconduct?
§ MR. TREVELYAN, in reply, said, the election had been set aside. The Returning Officer made some irregular decisions; but he did not wilfully suppress any voting papers, and, under the circumstances, the Local Government Board did not consider that he was guilty of any misconduct. The usual course was, that the Clerk of the Union should be Returning Officer; and, if he did not do his duty correctly, he would be again complained of, and the Board would see what should be done.
§ MR. TREVELYANI am bound to say that, before a public officer is interfered with, his misconduct should be wilful unless it was flagrant.