§ MR. J. P. FARRELLI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that at its first meeting the Longford County Council passed a resolution protesting against the number of members allotted to county Longford upon the Joint Committee of the Mullingar Asylum Board; can he say whether the resolution which was forwarded to the Lord Lieutenant has been received; and, if so, why no reply has been given to it; and whether it will be considered with a view to increasing the number of members from five to seven members.
§ MR. G. W. BALFOURThe resolution referred to in the first paragraph was received on the 26th April, and on the 28th April a reply was sent to the secretary to the County Council. The reply pointed out that the Lord Lieutenant, having decided that the Joint Committee of Management of the Asylum shall consist of 21 members to be appointed by the Councils of the counties of Longford, Meath and Westmeath, the proportion of the committee to be appointed by these counties had been calculated in accordance with the provisions of Section 9, sub-Section 7, of the Local Government Act of last year—namely, according to the average number of patients for the three years ended the 31st March, 1899, from the three mentioned counties, respectively.