§ MR. W. J. CORBETasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether, as President of the Local Government Board, he is aware the Board have finally declined to take any action in reference to the conduct of Mr. Dagg, clerk of the Baltinglass Union, and George Driver, rate collector, although it was admitted that popular voters were deprived of the franchise by their alleged "mistakes," while voters of opposite politics were improperly retained on the register by "mistakes" of an opposite character; whether he is aware the Local Government deny responsibility in the matter, saying that—
The clerk of the union and collector of poor rate do not perform their duties in connection with the Parliamentary Voters Act (13 and 14 Vic. c. 68 and 69) under their direction, and that the 67th and 109th sections of that Act prescribe the manner in which they may be punished for neglect or other breach of duty under the Act;and, whether, in furtherance of the course of justice, he will lay the Correspondence and Minutes of Evidence taken at the investigation held at Baltinglass last September, including the full Report of the Local Government Board Inspector, upon the Table?
MR. CAMPBELL-BANNEEMANThe position taken by the Local Government Board is that stated. The clerk and collector do not perform their duties in connection with the Parliamentary Voters Act under that Board, and the inquiry at Baltinglass was undertaken for the purpose of ascertaining whether they had done anything to render them unworthy of confidence as public officers. The opinion arrived at was that they had not. The evidence adduced at the inquiry is already before the Board of Guardians, and I understand that the hon. Member has been 348 fully informed of the substance of the Inspector's Report. This being so, there hardly appears to be any necessity to lay the Papers on the Table.