§ MR. T. M. HEALY (Longford, N.)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether the Colonel Caleb Robertson who has been appointed paid Guardian in Ballinasloe, where the Local Government Board have dissolved the elected Guardians, is the ex-agent of the Parliamentary Under Secretary for Ireland; whether this is the same gentleman recommended by the Local Government Board to the Royal Commission on Fairs and Markets as Assistant Commissioner for Ireland; whether the Royal Commission declined to act on this recommendation; and, who recommended Colonel Caleb Robertson to the Local Government Board?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR) (Manchester, E.)The reply to the first paragraph is, I understand, in the affirmative. This gentleman is one of the two persons whose names were given by the Local Government Board to the Royal Commission on Fairs and Markets. Neither was appointed. He was, however, an Assistant Commissioner under the Duke of Richmond and Gordon's Commission, and was for a short time a Vice Guardian under the Local Government Board in another Union, and he is, in the opinion of the Board, in every way well fitted for the office for which he has been now selected.
§ MR. T. M. HEALYasked, whether this was one of the gentlemen recommended by the Parliamentary Under Secretary for Ireland (Colonel King-Harman)?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURsaid, it was quite clear the Local Government Board had been influenced only by the qualifications of this gentleman, because he had already filled with efficiency the same kind of office.