COLONEL NOLANI beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury if he would procure an opinion from the Irish Law Officers as to the legal position of certain workmen on the Suck Drainage, who, owing to a contractor absconding, have not been paid their wages; if he would ask the Law Officers if, in their opinion, these work men have any lien for their wages on any of the plant of the Suck Drainage Board, or on any of that of the contractors; and have these men a lien for their wages on any revenue or rates which the Suck Drainage Board may obtain or levy?
§ SIR J. T. HIBBERTI have taken a legal opinion, and I am advised that the workmen employed by an alleged absconded contractor of the Suck Drainage Board have no lion or claim against any property, revenue, or rates of that Board for wages left unpaid by the contractor who employed them. They cannot, without duo process of law, have the plant or other goods of the contractor seized and sold for the moneys due to them. If the contractor is made a bankrupt, each labourer would be entitled to be paid all wages due to him up to £5 in full out of any available assets of the contractor.