§ MR. M'CARTANI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, whether he is aware that the Board of Guardians of Belfast has recently paid to a contractor, without any contract in writing, a sum above the lowest amount which they are by law entitled to make without written contract; can he state the amount of the payment, and is it his intention to take any steps in the matter.
§ MR. G. W. BALFOURThe lowest amount of expenditure which a Board of Guardians is legally entitled to make without a contract expressed in writing would appear to be the sum of ten pounds, but I would refer the hon. Member to the provisions of Articles 16 and 17 of the General Regulations of the Local Government Board, dated 18th December, 1882, in this matter. With regard to the second and third paragraphs, an inquiry has recently been held into the question of the execution of works by the Guardians of the Belfast Union without contracts having been entered into, but the report of the inspector who held the inquiry has not yet been received.