§ MR. JOHN CAMPBELL (Armagh, S.)To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that, in fixing the average income of the staff of the Ballynadooha National School, county Armagh, the Commissioners of National Education included the two years 1898 and 1899, although they had before them evidence that epidemics of scarlatina, measles, and whooping cough were prevalent during those two years; and whether, considering that the income of the principal teacher in the years ending 31st March, 1895, was £131 4s. Id.; 31st March, 1896, £136 11s. 8d.; 31st March, 1897, £134 0s. 2d.; 31st March, 1898, £124 12s. 4d.; 31st March, 1899, £126 1s. 11d.; 31st March, 1900, £132 4s. 6d., he will have the average salaries revised either on the basis of the year 1900 or by substituting the years 1896 and 1897 for the two bad years.
(Answered by Mr. Wyndhum.) I am informed that the income of the principal teacher of Ballynadooha National School for the years ended 31st March, 1896, 1897, 1898, 1899, 1900, was substantially as stated. The average income for the three years ended 31st March, 1900, was taken as the basis in fixing the consolidated salaries of all teachers, and the substitution in the calculation of such average income of any year previous to 1898 was not permissible. Cases, however, in which the rule as to the average income for the three years ended 31st March, 1900, was found to work inequitably, received special consideration. The claims of the principal and assistant teachers of this school for special consideration were very fully investigated by the Commissioners, and it was not deemed equitable to depart from the general practice in their case.