MR. ENGLEDEW (Kildare, N.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether the charges in the Athy Union outstanding under the Labourers Acts at the time of the passing of the Local Government Act of 1898 are district charges, specific areas having been fixed by special resolutions of the guardians from time to time as the several schemes were being promoted, and which were approved of by the several Provisional Orders of the Local Government Board prior to the passing of the Local 52 Government Act; and whether the Local Government Board had power under the Local Government Act, 1898, to alter the areas already charged under the Labourers Acts in cases where all the expenses had been incurred and loans made before the passing of the Act.
§ THE ATTORNEY GENEEAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. ATKINSON,, for Mr. G. W. BALFOUR) Londonderry, N.The reply to the first paragraph of the question is in the affirmative. The Local Government Board have been advised that by the combined effect of the 44th and 57th Sections of the Local Government Act charges for labourers' cottages, whether erected before or after the passing of the Act, became district charges leviable off the district. They were so held to be in fixing the amount of the Agricultural Grant. Had the hon. Member's contention been adopted they would, as special expenses, have been excluded from that calculation.