§ MR. JAMES O'CONNOROn behalf of the hon. Member for Carlow, I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland will he state what have been the receipts from the local licence duties and the amount of grant-in-aid paid out of Local Taxation Ireland Account for years ended 31st March, 1900 and 1901 respectively; and if, as suggested in a recent circular letter addressed by the Local Government Hoard to county councils in Ireland, provision be made for the support of the 4,000 imbeciles at present lodged in Irish workhouses by a grant-in-aid of 2s. per week, can he state what steps he proposes to take to prevent an additional burden on the ratepayers.
§ MR. WYNDHAMThis question refers, presumably, to the receipts and payments under Section 58 of the Local Government Act, 1898. In the year 1899–1900 the amount paid into the Local Taxation Account, as the equivalent of the proceeds of local taxation licences, amounted to £205,832, and the Account also received the sum of £79,000. The payments out of the Account amounted to £251,528. In the year 1900–1901 (which is not yet completed) the Account has received under the; former head the sum of £208,086, together with the sum of 364 £79,000, and the Supplementary Vote of £37,030 taken in July last, The payments to date amount to £219,215; further payments amounting to £49,619 are about to be made. In answer to the last query the Local Government Board does not consider that any action which may be taken in pursuance of its circular in respect of the maintenance of chronic lunatics will have the effect of depleting the Local Taxation Account.