HC Deb 12 July 1900 vol 85 cc1326-7
MR. WILLIAM ABRAHAM (Cork Co., N. E.)

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that no tenders for the maintenance of five roads in the Mallow Rural District (including the streets of Mallow) have been accepted by the District Council or the County Council of Cork; in view of the fact that no moneys can be spent on the maintenance of these roads until a proposal is formulated by the district council at a quarterly meeting to be held on the 19th inst., and approved of by the county council at the quarterly meeting of that body in October next, will he state whether these roads can be handed over to the charge of the county surveyor, under Article 24 of the Procedure of Councils Order, 1899, to be maintained in the interval pending the formulation and approval of a proposal.

MR. G. W. BALFOUR

I understand that the failure in this case arose from the fact that a sufficient number of members to constitute a quorum was not present at the adjourned meeting of the county council on the 17th May. The Local Government Board do not consider that under the circumstances the county council can hand over the works in question to the county surveyor, as suggested.

MR. WILLIAM ABRAHAM

In the event of the next meeting having to be adjourned, which would then necessitate the matter going over till October, will the right hon. Gentleman make an order similar to that he issued last February?

MR. G. W. BALFOUR

I must ask for notice of that question.

CAPTAIN DONELAN

May I ask whether, in view of the fact that this difficulty would not have arisen if the councils had possessed the power to employ direct labour on the roads, the right hon. Gentle- man will consider the desirability of conferring such power on them?

MR. G. W. BALFOUR

I replied to a question of the hon. Member on this subject on the 9th instant.✶