§ MR. J. P. FARRELLI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, whether he will agree to the insertion of a clause in the Labourers (Ireland) Bill making it compulsory on Boards of Guardians to consider representations lodged with them within a specific time of lodgment, after due notice being given to the lodgers of the representations of the ratepayers?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (MR. GERALD BALFOUR,) Leeds, CentralThe existing Acts do not prescribe any period within which representations received by a sanitary authority must be taken into consideration by that body, and it does not seem desirable to lay down any hard-and-fast rule on the subject, such as is suggested by the question. As a rule, these representations are sent in singly, on behalf of individual labourers, and the practice hitherto has been for the sanitary authority to wait until they had received a large number, so that all might be dealt with together. This course, it is needless to observe, saves much expense, as, if notices had to be published 507 within a limited period after the receipt of each representation, the incidental expenses, which are at present heavy enough, would be largely increased.
§ MR. J. P. FARRELLasked whether the right hon. Gentleman would not suggest that these representations should be considered annually?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURsaid he thought that might prove inconvenient, but if the hon. Member had any special case the particulars of which he would forward to him, he would have inquiry made into it.