§ MR. ABRAHAM (Limerick, W.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been called to the fact that when the Glin Board of Guardians was dissolved last year three divisions of that Union were transferred, without subdivision, to Listowel Union, and the services of the dispensary doctors retained by sealed order of the Local Government Board; can he state why the services of the rate collector for these divisions was not also retained, in accordance with, the precedent followed in the case of Gortin Union when it was united with that of Omagh and Strabane; has the Local Government Board sanctioned the appointment of Mr. Mulvihill as rate collector, although his time is occupied as rent warner and land bailiff in the employment of an ex officio member of the Listowel Board, and does this sanction involve the payment of a pension of £10 a year to the late collector, though he is fitted in every way to discharge the duty; and will he institute inquiry into this matter?
§ * THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (Mr. JACKSON, Leeds, N.)On the dissolution of Glin Union seven electoral divisions were transferred to Listowel Union. The cases of the medical officer and the poor rate collector were dealt with differently by reason of the fact that the transferred divisions formed a complete dispensary district, but did not form a complete poor rate collector's district. The formation of the new district or districts for collection purposes was, therefore, left for the consideration of the Guardians. In the case of the Gortin Union, the electoral divisions transferred formed complete collectors' districts. The new rate collector was elected by the Listowel Guardians by a considerable majority, and the reply to the inquiries made by the Local Government Board being satisfactory, the appointment was sanctioned. It was the case that the Guardians of the Glin (dissolved) Union granted their collector a pension of £10 0s. 5d.