HC Deb 01 March 1886 vol 302 cc1542-3
MR. MAURICE HEALY

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether his attention has been called to the conduct of Mr. Joseph D. Grier, clerk of the Cavan Boor Law Board, in connection with the coming election of Boor Law Guardians for that Union; whether it is a fact that the Nationalist ratepayers of the Union, having lodged a largo number of claims to vote, Mr. Grier acting as returning officer, has issued an advertisement in the local papers (Anglo-Celt of the 20th instant) requiring "documentary evidence in support of all claims to vote" lodged since the last election; what powers a returning officer has to require "documentary" evidence in support of claims to vote, such claims being in many cases, from their nature, incapable of being so supported; whether he is aware that the medium of advertisement selected as a substitute for direct communication is one which is exceedingly unlikely to come under the notice of a large proportion of the claimants; whether the proceeding in question is taken under the 6 and 7 Vic. c. 92, s. 26; and, if so, whether that enactment, being limited to particular cases in which a returning officer "has reasonable cause to doubt the correctness of any claim to vote," the Local Government Board will direct Mr. Grier to abandon his proposed general court of inquiry, and to issue voting papers to all claimants except in particular cases in which doubt has been thrown on the correctness of any claim, and the claimant, after notice directly given, has failed to satisfy him; whether it is the fact that a large number of the claimants live at considerable distances, in some cases as much as ten miles, from the board room where Mr. Grier proposes to hold his court, and would be put to great inconvenience by being compelled needlessly to attend there; and, whether it is the fact that Mr. Grier's action is entirely without precedent?

THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Mr. JOHN MORLEY)

The Local Government Board assure me that they are unable, at this moment, to give any informatian in answer to this Question, it not having appeared in time. I shall ask the hon. Member to repeat the Question in two or three days.

MR. MAURICE HEALY

I shall repeat it in its original form.

MR. SPEAKER

I must remind the hon. Member that the Question to which he refers in its original form as put at the Table was out of Order, and I disallowed it.

MR. MAURICE HEALY

I will have the Question in such a form as will conform with the Rules of Order.