§ CAPTAIN FENWICK (Durham, Houghton-le-Spring)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he will take steps to ascertain why the assistant overseer for the township of West Rainton, in the County of Durham, on Thursday 16th February, refused to allow two ratepayers to look at his books after due notice had been given him; and whether he will take steps to have the law enforced in this matter?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. H. H FOWLER, Wolverhampton, E.)I am informed by the overseers of Rainton that the assistant overseer of that parish received a communication asking him whether he was at liberty to permit two gentlemen to have access to the parish 1583 rate books. The assistant overseer referred the writer to the overseers, and the overseers informed him that if the persons referred to were ratepayers they could examine the rate book at any time between 1 and 3 o'clock on the 21st ultimo. They did not, however, so attend. If in any case the statutory provisions as to inspection of the rate book are contravened, proceedings may be taken for the enforcement of a penalty.