§ MR. MARUM (Kilkenny, N.)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether his attention has been called to the protest of the Board of Guardians of the Union of Urlingford to the proposed anomalous areas of the new Unions sought to be constituted in lieu of the present ones comprising the Unions of Abbeyleix, Donaghmore, Roscrea, and Urlingford, upon the amalgamation scheme sanctioned by the Local Government Board; whether it is not the fact that the divisions of Kyle and Errill, proposed to be added to Abbeyleix and Roscrea Unions are a mean distance of only some five miles from the Urlingford Workhouse, although the distance of same divisions ranges from twelve to sixteen miles from the Abbeyleix and Roscrea Workhouses; and, whether he will cause a reconsideration of the amalgamation scheme in these respects?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Mr. JOHN MORLEY) (Newcastle-on-Tyne), in reply, said, that this matter required further consideration, and they were not yet able to give a final decision.
§ MR. SEXTON (Sligo, S.)asked whether, in the present position of the question of Local Government in Ireland, it would not be expedient to postpone this measure, which was not urgent, which was opposed by the local ratepayers, and which was proposed by a State Department?
§ MR. JOHN MORLEYsaid, that whether the time was long or short, as long as the present arrangement existed it should be carried out.