§ MR. WOLFF (Belfast, E.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that in the graveyard at Oldcourt, Strangford, County Down, a man opened a grave for the interment of his son, and finding the coffin of the person last buried there to be within two feet three inches of the surface, broke this coffin and threw the remains of the buried person about the place; whether ho is aware that this graveyard has been closed by order of the Board of Works, and that a new graveyard has been provided by Lord de Ros which cannot be opened until an Order for doing so has been issued by the Board of Works; what is the cause of the delay in issuing this Order; and will any steps be taken to prevent the recurrence of such scenes?
MR. J. MORLEYI am informed that the facts are as stated in the first paragraph. The Local Government Board inform me that the delay that has taken place in issuing the Order closing the old burial ground has been caused by some difficulties that have arisen in providing the new ground. The Board, however, have now given directions for the issue of an Order closing the graveyard referred to, subject to certain exemptions.