§ MR. WILLIAM ABRAHAM (Cork Co., N.E.)On behalf of the hon. Member for West Mayo, I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland has his attention been called to the action of the Irish Local Government Board in increasing the salaries of the county and assistant county surveyors of Mayo without consulting the Mayo County Council, and what are the extra duties imposed on those officials which warrant such increase of salaries against the decision of the Mayo County Council.
§ MR. G. W. BALFOURIt is not correct to say that the salaries of the county and assistant surveyors in the County Mayo were fixed by the Local Government Board without consulting the county council. In August last the Board invited the views of the county; council on the subject, and on the 18th September last the matter was considered by the council. They failed, however, to come to any decision and postponed the matter until December. In December they again postponed the question till March. Meanwhile the county officers pressed the Local Government Board to fulfil their obligations under Section 115 (18) of the Act, which the Board proceeded to do. The extra duties imposed on these officers are an increased number of attendances at meetings, and an increased number of complete inspections of county works, all of which involve additional out-of-pocket expenses to the officers concerned.