§ MR. T. M. HEALY (Longford, N.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether the Local Government Board of Ireland, of which he is Chairman, had set aside the election of Mr. Alfred J. Ryall to the office of Poor Law Guardian for the Cullenwaine electoral division of the Roscrea Union on the grounds that his nomination was invalid; whether Mr. Thomas Corcoran had not claimed to be duly elected to the office as being the only properly nominated candidate; whether the Board refused to receive Mr. Corcoran as guardian for the said division, and on what grounds have they decided to order a new election; and whether, considering Mr. Corcoran's claim to be the only properly nominated candidate, the Board will reconsider its decision regarding his claims to the office of guardian, and not put the ratepayers to the expense of a new election?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR,) Manchester, E.The facts are as stated in the first three paragraphs of the question. There is no Statutory Authority which would admit of the unsuccessful candidate's claim to the office being received, and the matter can only be dealt with by a new election which will be held in due course.