§ MR. SWIFT MAcNEILLI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been directed to resolutions passed by various county councils in Ireland, including the county councils of Cork and Donegal, directing attention to the enormous increase of labour and of expense entailed on the financial departments of the counties under the new rules of the Irish Local Government Board in connection with the extra duties placed on the county councils by reason of copying rate books and the applotments of the poor rate, including the calculations necessary consequent on each special charge being applotted separately; and whether he, as head of the Irish Local Government Board, will take measures 1192 for the amendment of these rules, either by legislation or otherwise.
§ *MR. G. W. BALFOURThe Local Government Board have received resolutions from several county councils on the subject mentioned in the first paragraph. In drafting the County Councils Order, 1899, dealing with accounts, every care was taken to minimise the labour necessitated by the Local Government Act in assessing and applotting the rates, and I do not think these accounts could be simplified further. It must be remembered that a good deal of the labour thrown by the Act upon county councils in applotting the rates implies a corresponding relief to the officers of unions. The additional copying of the rate books is rendered necessary by Section 96 of the Act, and this provision merely involves the temporary employment of a few additional clerks.