§ MR. MAURICE HEALYI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, whether in a recent case the Irish Local Government Board, having been requested by resolution from a Board of Guardians to hold a sworn Inquiry as to an allegation that a particular Guardian was violating the law by acting as a Contractor to the Board, refused to do so on the ground that any individual acting as informer could vindicate the law by suing for penalties; whether sworn Inquiries had previously been held in similar cases; why the Local Government Board have made a change of practice; and, whether, in view of the odium and the risk of 1552 law costs which would have to be incurred by a private individual in enforcing the law in such cases, though he would have no interest in the matter but a public one, the Local Government Board will in future exercise the powers which the law gives them to secure pure local administration?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURThe Limerick Board of Guardians recently requested the Local Government Board to hold a sworn Inquiry relative to the allegation that one of the Guardians of the Union was concerned in a contract for the supply of goods to the Workhouse, but as the Guardian in question denied the truth of the statement, and as no prima facie evidence was forwarded supporting the allegation, the Local Government Board, acting according to their usual practice, did not consider that sufficient grounds had been given to grant an Inquiry. The Local Government Board have held sworn Inquiries in cases of the alleged connection of Guardians with Union contracts where such allegations have been supported by corroborative evidence, and the Local Government Board have not departed from their usual practice in this case. If, however, any corroborative evidence is forthcoming in support of the allegation in this case, the Local Government Board will reconsider the matter.