§ MR. SEXTONasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether the election of a Poor Law Guardian, in March 1884, for the Magheraclogher Division of the Dunfanaghy Union having been set aside, the relieving officer held a new election in July 1884, and allowed a vote to John Williams, petty sessions clerk, Bunbeg, though warned that John Williams had not been in occupation of the qualifying-premises for eleven years, and this July election having been also set aside, a second new election was held last month, at which John Williams, petty sessions 1409 clerk, again tendered a fraudulent vote, which was again, in the face of a protest on the spot, received and counted by the returning officer; what explanation of these proceedings is given by the Local Government Board; what notice the Government will take of the conduct of the petty sessions clerk; and, whether the returning officer in question will be permitted to act in that capacity in the forthcoming annual election of Poor Law Guardians for the Dunfanaghy Union?
§ MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANIt appears that Mr. Williams did vote on both the occasions specified; and the Returning Officer, on being referred to, states that Mr. Williams was allowed to do so as he appeared to be, on each occasion, the rated occupier of premises entitling him to vote. The Local Government Board have no evidence before them to the contrary, and have no reason to believe that the action of the Returning Officer in connection with this vote was such as to render him undeserving of confidence.