§ MR. P. M'DONALD (Sligo, N.)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether it is the duty of the Dublin Metropolitan Police to report to the Chief Commissioner all cases where they find the footways (over which the Dublin Corporation have no control as to cleansing) are not regularly cleansed daily by the occupiers or owners in the City and Metropolitan 382 District; whether it is their duty, on finding that such cleansing is not done, to summon the owners or occupiers; whether he is aware of the Resolutions of the Cleansing Committee on the 7th January, 1885, 3rd March, 1886, 25th January and 23rd February, 1888, calling the attention of the Commissioners of Police to the condition of the footways in Dublin, especially those in front of public buildings; and that, notwithstanding those complaints, no action has been taken by the police in the matter; and, whether, in the face of these repeated complaints of the Cleansing Committee to the Commissioners of Police, he will take steps to secure that the bye-laws of the Public Health (Ireland) Act, 1878, sections 1 and 2, shall in future be enforced by the Commissioners of Police?
§ THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDER SECRETARY (Colonel KING-HARMAN) (Kent, Isle of Thanet)(who replied) said, the Chief Commissioner of the Dublin Metropolitan Police reported that up to the present the duty of enforcing the law dealing with the cleansing of footpaths by the occupiers of promises had been undertaken by the Dublin Metropolitan Police. During the half-year ending with the present month 824 persons were summoned for neglect in this matter, while about three times that number were cautioned. However, the Commissioner added, taking everything into consideration, the citizens of Dublin fulfilled their obligations in this regard reasonably well. Probably the best remedy would be for the Corporation of Dublin themselves to undertake the cleansing of the footways; as was done by the Corporations of Rathmines, Pembroke, and Blackrock with satisfactory results.
§ MR. P. M'DONALDCan the right hon. and gallant Gentleman say whether the Corporations of cities and towns in England and Scotland undertake the cleansing of footpaths?
§ COLONEL KING-HARMANI do not know.
§ MR. P. M'DONALDI can inform him they do not.