§ MR. HARRIS (Galway, E.)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Is is true that for nearly 20 years the constabulary barracks, Ballinasloe, was supplied with gas free of charge; and that, when at length the Town Commissioners were forced to demand payment, the Constabulary refused to pay even one year's gas, and in consequence of such refusal had their supply of gas cut off; whether the Government is aware that Colonel O'Hara passed the accounts of the Ballinasloe Town Board without surcharging any of the Commissioners for the price of the gas which they had given free of charge to the constabulary, and that, when the illegality of thus giving gas gratuitously to the constabulary was brought under public notice, Colonel O'Hara stated to the Commissioners of Ballinasloe that he could not pass the item unless it was put down as waste; and that the Commissioners, acting on his suggestion, did put it down as waste, and in that way succeeded in making the taxpayers of Ballinasloe pay for the gas which the constabulary had used in their barracks for a number of 1625 years; and, whether the Government will take any action in the matter?
§ THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDER SECRETARY (Colonel KING-HARMAN) (Kent, Isle of Thanet)(who replied) said, that the constabulary had been supplied free of charge for about 20 years; and in January last the Town Commissioners inquired of the constabulary whether they were willing to pay for the gas consumed. No period was named. They declined to pay, and, at the same time, informed the Commissioners that they were quite willing to have the supply cut off. The Report of the Local Government Board auditor had not yet reached him. Colonel O'Hara did not surcharge any of the Commissioners.
§ MR. HARRISpointed out that the right hon. and gallant Gentleman had not answered his Question as to whether Colonel O'Hara requested the Commissioners to put it down as waste.
§ COLONEL KING-HARMANsaid, he was not aware. As he had already said, the Auditor's Report was a voluminous document.