§ MR. SEXTONI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that there has been an outbreak of small-pox in the Donegal Street Police Station, Belfast; whether it is admitted that this and other police stations in Belfast have long since been condemned as both structurally and sanitarily unsuitable; can he explain why, although more than a year ago the Corporation of Belfast conveyed to the Irish Government a site for a central police station, and the Government promised to begin the erection of the station last November, nothing has yet been done; and, now that the evil effects of the delay are so painfully demonstrated, what steps do the Irish Government mean to take?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThe Constabulary authorities report that it is the case that some of the men in the Donegal Street Police Station have been attacked by small-pox; but that it is not the case that the premises are unsanitary, or were ever considered so. The disease is reported to have been introduced by a member of the force who was on duty in a locality in the city in which it existed. There has been no unnecessary delay in proceeding with the building of the central barracks. The Corporation did not convey a site more than a year ago. They were not in a position to convey it until very recently, and the lease was only completed within the past few days. Every progress is being made with the construction of new police barracks in Belfast.