§ MR. BODKIN (Roscommon, N.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (1) if his attention has been called to the proceedings for arrears of Poor Rate instituted by the Roscommon Board of Guardians against Michael Hinnerty, John Brennan, and Mary Kelly, widow, all of Ballymurry, Roscommon, who had purchased, under the Land Purchase Acts, their holdings, valued respectively under £4 per annum; (2) is he aware that these proceedings were dismissed by the Magistrates on the ground that these arrears were really due by the former landlord, from whom the Poor Rate collector had neglected to collect them; (3) were those proceedings sanctioned by the Local Government Board for Ireland; and (4) will be give the necessary directions to prevent the recurrence of such proceedings?
MR. J. MORLEY(1.) Proceedings for the recovery of Poor Rates were instituted by the Poor Rate collector, not by the Board of Guardians, against the persons named, whose holdings are valued under £4. The collector states that in 1891 he applied to the agent of the estate for the rates then due on these holdings, but the latter declined to pay them on the ground that he received no rents, and when the collector again made application he was informed that the tenants, having entered into agreements for the purchase of their holdings, were liable for the rates. The tenants having declined to pay, the collector applied to the Land Commission for information, and was advised that the tenants were liable, and he accordingly summoned them to Petty Sessions. (2.) The Magistrates gave decrees for the current rates, but made no order as to arrears. 668 (3.) No proceedings for the recovery of rates in such cases require the sanction of the Local Government Board. (4.) The Local Government Board cannot interfere with Boards of Gnardians and their officers in taking such proceedings as they may deem necessary within the law to recover rates due in their Unions.
§ MR. BODKINWere these proceedings sanctioned by the Local Government Board or not? I am informed that they were.
MR. J. MORLEYI am told by the Local Government Board that no proceedings of this kind require their sanction.