§ MR. KENNEDY (Westmeath, N.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if ho can state by what authority rural district councils are now charged fees for audit by the Local Government Board of accounts which were audited free of charge previous to their transfer by statute from the boards of guardians; and whether the only business in respect of which those councils now receive or pay money is that so transferred.
§ MR. WYNDHAMThe authority is contained in Article 19, paragraph 2, of the Application of Enactments Order, 1898. The business transferred is that of boards of guardians acting as rural sanitary authorities. Prior to the transfer no charge was made for the audit of the accounts of poor law guardians. The rural sanitary authorities thus escaped, unlike the urban sanitary authorities, who were assessed annually as at present.
§ MR. KENNEDYIs this a new tax imposed on Ireland by the Local Government Act, 1898?
§ MR. WYNDHAMreplied in the affirmative.