§ MR. NOLAN (Louth, N.)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Has the attention of the Local Government Board been given to the following items of expenditure objected to before their auditor, Colonel R. M. Studdart, as appearing in the accounts of the Belfast Town Council in the years 1885 and 1886, in connection with the visits of His Excellency the Lord Lieutenant and of T.R.H. the Prince and Princess of Wales, and amounting altogether to the sum of £1,370 4s. 3d.:—1. Payment of £30 for decorating Ulster Hall; 2. Payment of £200 for decorating and illuminating the Town Hall; 3. Payment of £217 16s. for decorations; 4. Payment of £180 for furniture and fitting up rooms for T.R.H. the Prince and Princess of Wales; 5. Payment of £85 for decorating Town Hall; 6. Payment of £75 for decorating and illuminating Albert Memorial Clock; 7. The balance for expenditure of a kindred nature; did the auditor report that the Corporation was justified in this expenditure; and, if so, will he state under what statute was the expenditure legal?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR) (Manchester, E.)A few ratepayers, apparently about eight in number, who were professionally repre- 1810 sented before the auditor, objected to the payments in question, and the auditor carefully considered the objections. He was, however, of opinion that the expenditure was authorized under the provisions of the Municipal Corporations Act and the Belfast Improvement Act of 1845, and he reported accordingly.
§ MR. T. M. HEALY (Longford, N.)May that be taken as a precedent for the Corporations in the South of Ireland, where similar decorations are erected to the people whom they decide to honour?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI suppose the auditor will be guided in each case by his view of the law.