MR. T. M. HEALYI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if the work of applotment of cess in County Cork was done by two clerks under the Grand Jury, and whether 40 clerks will now be required under the system prescribed by the Local Government Board; whether the County Council has sent a deputation to complain of the expense to the Local Government Board; and have similar complaints been made in other counties; and if it is alleged that the law requires so expensive a mode of book-keeping, why is it not amended.
§ MR. G. W. BALFOURThe Local Government Board understand that six persons were usually employed in the 281 applotment of county cess in County Cork, and about fifty in the preparation of poor-rate books of the county. The number of persons to be employed in the applotment of the consolidated rates will be somewhat short of the number heretofore employed, and in the course of a year or so, when the new system is thoroughly understood, the expense of making the consolidated rate will be very considerably lessened, and will show a material saving as compared with the old system. A deputation from County Cork attended on the Board, but their object was to obtain the Board's consent to certain variations in the Accounts Order to meet the peculiar requirements of this large comity. These modifications were made by the Board. Complaints have been generally made to the Board as to the extra work involved by having to raise the charges mentioned in Section 57 (2) as a separate item in the rate books. The Board has gone as far as possible in the direction of minimising this labour by consolidating the public health charges within each rural district.
MR. T. M. HEALYWill the right hon. Gentleman make a statement on this matter when the Vote for the Local Government Board comes on?
§ MR. G. W. BALFOURCertainly.