HC Deb 18 March 1898 vol 55 cc243-4
MR. MACALEESE

On behalf of the hon. Member for South Monaghan (Mr. DALY), I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (1) whether he is aware that, owing to the great depression in prices of agricultural produce and the difficulty the farmers of Carrickmacross Union have experienced in meeting rents and other demands, the Carrickmacross Board of Guardians were compelled in 1896 to strike a rate for the relief of the poor which left the union £1,214 in debt on 29th September, 1897, being end of financial year; (2) whether he has received a copy of a resolution passed by the Carrickmacross Board of Guardians, requesting that the Government will not take advantage of the insufficient rate struck in 1896 when fixing the grant in aid of rates under the Local Government (Ireland) Bill; and (3) whether he will advise the Government to fix the grant in aid of rates in Carrickmacross Union on the basis as if a sufficient rate were struck by the guardians in 1896–97?

MR. GERALD BALFOUR

It is a fact that the Carrickmacross Board of Guardians reduced the Clerk's Estimate for the rates required in 1896–7. For the past four or five years they have always insisted on reducing the Clerk's Estimate, notwithstanding the protests of the Local Government Board, and without being able to show sufficient reason for doing so. The result, as might be anticipated, has invariably been that the union has been in debt at the close of each financial year. In September, 1896, the union started with a deficiency of about £100; the amount of the reduction in the Estimate was £509, and on the 29th September last the liabilities exceeded the assets by £689 (not £1,214 as alleged). In spite of this the guardians, in making their 1897–98 rate, again reduced the Clerk's Estimate by £471, and the union will presumably be in debt again by that amount in September next. I have received a copy of the resolution referred to in the second paragraph. The case of Carrickmacross Union is not one which, in my opinion, calls for special consideration.