HC Deb 17 March 1899 vol 68 cc1149-50
MR. MACALEESE

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether, having regard to the fact that Mr. Barratt holds the position of petty sessions clerk for the districts of Holywood, Bangor, and New-townbreda, which are widely apart: the position of secretary to the School Board Committee of Holywood; the position of clerk of the Holywood Gas Company, which is a private company, and other positions in the town of Holy-wood, it is consistent with his duties of petty sessions clerk to hold the office of town clerk, in view of section 35 of the Petty Sessions Act, 14 and 15 Vic. c. 90, and sub-section 2 of section 8 of the Petty Sessions Clerk Act, 21 and 22 Vic. c. 100, or to identify himself with local Party business; whether he is aware that Mr. Barratt holds the office of petty sessions clerk in the private office of the Holywood Gas Company, which is a private company; and, if so, is it consistent with the rules with regard to this office; whether he is also aware that Mr. Barratt has identified himself with the candidature of Sir Daniel Dixon, a candidate for the position of county councillor for the Holy-wood division of the county of Down, and whether any, and what, steps will be taken to prevent a recurrence of the matters complained of; and whether any, and what, steps, will be taken in connection with the intended application of Mr. Barratt for the position of the town clerk of Holywood?

MR. GERALD BALFOUR

A clerk of petty sessions is not prohibited either by statute or departmental rule from holding the appointments specified in the first paragraph. The reply to the second paragraph is in the affirmative; no complaint has been made that the public are inconvenienced by the transaction of petty sessions business in the office of the Gas Company. He has been permitted to do so by the magistrates. As regards the third paragraph, Mr. Barratt, the clerk of petty sessions, denies he has taken part at any election on behalf of either of the candidates for the county councillorship of Holywood.