§ MR. HEMPHILL (Tyrone, N.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland is he aware that William M`Farland, of Glencoppagh, Plumbridge, in the County of Tyrone, in the division of North Tyrone, who has been a paid registration inspector to the North Tyrone Unionist Registration Association for a considerable number of years, has been appointed as rate collector by the Tyrone County Council for the electoral divisions of Lislea, Loughash, Plumbridge, Stranagalivilly, and Moyle, the first four of which was part of his inspection district as such political agent, and that the Local Government Board of Ireland has sanctioned this appointment.
§ MR. G. W. BALFOURThe Tyrone County Council have submitted a scheme for the collection of the poor rate in their county, in which they propose to appoint Mr. M'Farland, an existing cess collector, who has expressed his willingness to serve, to collect the rates in the electoral divisions mentioned in the question. The scheme submitted by the County Council requires modification in certain particulars, and has not yet been sanctioned by the Local Government Board. The Board have no information relative to Mr. M'Farland's connection with a political association; but if the facts are as stated they would probably require him to resign the office of registration agent before proceeding to further entertain the question of his appointment as poor rate collector.