HC Deb 04 August 1896 vol 43 cc1445-7
MR. FLYNN

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland—(1) whether his attention has been called to the Local Government Board Inquiry, recently held into the return of a poor law Guardian for the electoral division of Drinagh, Millstreet Union, County Cork, and the consequent new election for the guardianship ordered by them; (2) whether the votes of the following persons: Batt Linehan, Margaret O'Leary, Patrick Dennahy, Thomas Curtin, Catherine Cronin, Catherine Murphy, and Jeremiah Curtin, of Knocknageela West, were disallowed by the returning officer; and, (3) why were their votes disallowed, in view of the fact that their votes were allowed at the poor law election for the same division in 1895?

THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (Mr. GERALD BALFOUR,) Leeds, Central

My attention has been directed to the proceedings referred to in the first paragraph. The votes of the persons named were disallowed, as it was clear from the sworn evidence given at the Inquiry, that they did not possess the necessary qualification, at the time of the election, to vote.

MR. FLYNN

I beg to ask the Atterney General for Ireland—(1) whether his attention has been directed to the recent Poor Law Election for the division of Drinagh, Millstreet Union; (2) whether, where there is a liability to pay Poor Rate, there arises also the right to vote at a Poor Law Election, and whether the right extends to tenant purchasers also; and, (3) seeing that the Statute provides that where the occupier paying rates is not entitled to deduct any part thereof from the rent he shall have double the votes mentioned in the ordinary scale, whether he proposes to take any action in the matter?

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. J. ATKINSON,) Londonderry

said his attention had been called to this Election. From the information supplied it would appear that the persons were under an arrangement with their landlord to pay their taxes, but were under no legal liability to the guardians to pay, and, under these circumstances, they would not be entitled to vote. Of course, where there was legal liability to pay the rate, the vote went with it. The answer to the second part of the question was therefore in the affirmative. As to the third paragraph, inasmuch as these persons not paying the rates did not come within the statute, the question of taking action in the matter did not arise.

MR. FLYNN

Would the right hon. Gentleman inform me, if these tenants are not tenant purchasers and paying all the rates, would they not come within the Statute?

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND

If the tenant purchaser is under a legal liability to the Guardians to pay the rates, the vote follows as a matter of course.