§ MR. HEMPHILL (Tyrone, N.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he has as yet approved of the scheme for the collection of poor rate in the County of Tyrone; and, if so, whether his attention was called to a provision in the said scheme by which a former rate collector (David Dunbar) is to receive in future only £13 4s. 6d. yearly, as against his former remuneration of£35 0s. 11d., whilst another collector (William McFarland) is, by a transfer to him of Dunbar's former collection, to receive£46 17s., as against his former remuneration of£31 13s. 3d.; and whether, in view of Section 115 (ii.) of the Local Government (Ireland) Act, 1898, which enacts that the scheme shall provide for the existing officers employed under it receiving remuneration substantially identical with that which they formerly received, he will take steps to set right this departure from the Act.
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (Mr. G. W. BALFOUR,) Leeds, CentralThe Local Government Board have approved of the scheme referred to. According to this scheme, the former remuneration of David Dunbar was estimated at£14 18s. 4d. a year, and his future remuneration at£15 19s. 4d. The former remuneration of William McFarland was estimated at£53 13s. 3d., and his future remuneration at£60 2s. 3d. a year. A communication having been received by the Board from Mr. Dunbar stating that his former remuneration was 244 £35 0s. 11d. a year, the County Council have been informed that, if this be so, it will be necessary to alter the poundage rate fixed for this officer.