§ MR. BOYLE (Donegal, W.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that, though Mr. Richard Kelly, inspector to the Local Government Board, was present on the occasion of the appointment of John Timoney as master to the Glenties Workhouse, county Donegal, he did not inform the guardians that they were acting illegally, and that he examined Timoney, as well as other candidates, as to his qualifications; that the guardians immediately their attention was drawn by the Local Government Board to the illegality of the appointment decided at once to re-advertise for a new appointment, and did so, merely requesting the Local Government Board to sanction the temporary employment of Timoney; and that it was for this temporary employment the decree was granted against the guardians; and whether, seeing that the guardians acted in good faith throughout, and that the inspector of the Local Government Board was present when the appointment was made, he will advise the Board to remit the surcharge of the payment made on a valid decree of a court of law.
§ MR. WYNDHAMThe inspector had no knowledge of Mr. Timoney's disqualification when the election was made on the 5th August. On the 19th August, the Local Government Board explained that Mr. Timoney was not qualified and that a new appointment was necessary. But the guardians after this warning retained Mr. Timoney's services for six weeks, and they entered no defence to the action which he brought to recover his salary. I am, therefore, not prepared to reopen the case.