HC Deb 06 August 1896 vol 43 cc1686-8
MR. J. P. FARRELL

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland—(1) whether his attention has been called to the statement that, in a recent audit of the accounts of Bailieborough Union, and in a report to the Local Government Board, Mr. Sheehan, auditor, has recommended the stoppage of payment of collectors of poor rates fees until the collections are fully closed; (2) whether this recommendation amounts to a mandamus to the collectors to levy their rates the moment the warrants are signed, which will press very severely upon the poor ratepayers in the county Cavan; and (3) will he take steps to see that no undue pressure is exercised, particularly at this season of the year, when money is scarce with the poorer class of farmers all over Ireland?

* MR. GERALD BALFOUR

The Auditor's report is not open to the construction put upon it in the second paragraph. A collector is only entitled to be paid his poundage fees when his collection is fully closed, and the Auditor has called attention to this rule, a strict compliance with which, he states, is the only way to make the collectors carry out their duties properly. In this Union the current rate has been in course of collection now nearly 8 months, whereas the time allowed to the collectors to complete their collections is only four months. The Local Government Board have no authority to interfere with the collectors in any legal proceeding they may take to recover outstanding rates.

    c1687
  1. DEATH OF A BOY AT COOKSTOWN (IRELAND.) 161 words
    2. cc1687-8
  2. ST. JOHN'S SCHOOL, HEYWOOD. 136 words
    3. c1688
  3. BURIAL AT SHIRLAND, NEAR ALFRETON. 196 words