§ CAPTAIN DONELANI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been drawn to the decision of the Judicial Committee of the Irish Privy Council on the 7th instant, upholding the objection of Sir Joseph Neale M' Kenna 329 to the erection of a labourer's cottage on his property by the Youghal (County Cork) Board of Guardians; whether he is aware that in the adjoining Union of Midleton more than one-third of the original scheme was nullified owing to similar successful action on the part of landowners, thus depriving 103 labourers of cottages in this Union alone; and whether, in view of the fact that the working of the Labourers' Cottages (Ireland) Acts is seriously crippled by the extensive use made of the power to appeal under the present system, he will take steps to enable Boards of Guardians duly to carry out the duties entrusted to them under these Acts?
MR. J. MORLEYThe fact is as stated in the first paragraph. As regards the Midleton Union, the number of cottages included in the Guardians' scheme was 303, and the number sanctioned by the Local Government Board was 208; Petitions were lodged against 17 of these, and the Privy Council disallowed the objections as to nine cottages, with the result that 200 of the 208 cottages previously approved by the Board were finally authorised. The Board inform me that they do not think that the working of the Labourers' Act is seriously crippled by the use made of the power of appeal.
§ MR. FLYNN (Cork, N.E.)Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that in the vast majority of cases the Privy Council have paid no attention to the representations of Boards of Guardians?