§ MR. BIGGARasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether it is a fact that, on Friday 7th November, at Cootehill Poor Law Board, without notice, a resolution was passed by a majority in a Board of eight members present, and after the ordinary business was over, awarding the clerk £27 for looking after the 243 registry of Parliamentary electors; whether a similar motion had been refused at a former meeting of the Board; if so, whether the Local Government Board will sanction so large a payment for the amount of services; and, whether such a motion could be legally carried without notice, and in view of the fact that it had been refused at a former meeting of the Board?
§ MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANThe payment for the duty referred to is made under the authority of Section 73 of the Parliamentary Voters' Act. In the Cootehill Union the Clerk has heretofore been paid annually the sum of £25. This year he applied for an additional sum of £2, in consideration of the establishment of a new Revision Court in the Union. The matter was twice before the Guardians. On the first occasion the voting was equal (only four Guardians being present), and therefore no order was made. On the second, the sum was voted by a majority of five to two. Notice was not necessary under the Local Government Board's Regulations, or under any legal enactment. The Local Government Board do not consider the additional £2 unreasonable, in consideration of the additional duty, and accordingly they have sanctioned it.