MR. T. M. HEALYI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if it has been brought to his notice that James Craig, rate collector, Strabane Union, is in arrear with his collection £342, in consequence of which some voters must be disqualified for nonpayment of rates at forthcoming revision for North Tyrone; whether Craig furnished the Clerk of Union with any list of defaulters so that official objections might be entered on the Voters' List for non-payment of rates; whether the private objector for the North Tyrone Nationalists, John Torish, applied for and was refused permission to inspect the list of defaulters if such exists; whether, last year, a number of persons in Craig's collection, who had not paid rates, were allowed without objection to remain on the Register; and whether the Government will secure that private objectors for political Parties in North Tyrone and elsewhere shall be allowed free access to all Poor Law records and documents on which the right to the franchise depends, so that if whether by mistake, neglect, or any other cause the Union officials fail in their duty, an opportunity may be given to correct errors in time to affect the Register?
MR. J. MORLEYI am informed that the first paragraph is correct, but that a large portion of this sum is due on waste premises and ratings divided since last year. I am informed that the necessary information with regard to non-payment of rates was furnished by Craig to the Clerk of the Union. The reply to the third paragraph was given in my answer to the question No. 8 for to-day of my hon. and learned Friend. I am informed that the facts are as stated in the fourth paragraph as regards one or two weekly tenants who had been in occupation, for a very short period, of certain premises for which the rates had not been paid and had then changed to other premises. I am informed that the provisions of the Registration Acts with reference to inspection are strictly complied with in this division.