§ SIR WILFRID LAWSON: (Cumberland, Cockermouth)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he is aware that the Ashbourne Board of Guardians have for some time held their meetings in licensed premises, contrary to law; whether any steps have been taken in the matter by the Local Government Board: and whether it is intended that any steps should be taken to put a stop to this illegality?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. CHAPLIN,) Lincolnshire, SleafordThe question of the present place of meeting of the Ashbourne Board of Guardians has been the subject of correspondence between the Local Government Beard and the Guardians, and the Board have repeatedly urged that arrangements should he made for the meetings to be made elsewhere. It is alleged by the Guardians that the law is not contravened. They stated in May 1896 that an arrangement was made with the owner' of the board room whereby the hoard room and offices were, prior to the last licensing session, separately let tri the. Guardians who were thenceforth to have the exclusive use of them, and that they had not been included in the premises in respect of winch the licence was granted to the proprietress of the "Green Man" Hotel. The district auditor has made a disallowance; of certain rents which have been paid in respect of the promises referred, and the question as to the legality of the disallowance has been raised by an appeal which is under the consideration of the Board.