§ COLONEL NOLANasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, If the Commissioners of Towns in Ireland are now obliged to defray the expense of an audit of their accounts by a Government official, while several other public bodies have their accounts audited 693 at the public charge; and, if he will take steps to remove this burthen from the town rates?
§ MR. TREVELYANSir, the Commissioners of Towns in Ireland are now, and always have been, required to defray the expenses—formerly under the Towns Improvement Clauses Act, and now under the Local Government Acts. The same rule applies to the accounts of counties, lunatic asylums, and port and dock boards. It is true that Boards of Guardians are not required to pay for the audit of their accounts by the auditors of the Local Government Board; but I can see no sufficient reason to ask Parliament to alter the existing law as to the accounts of Town Commissioners.