§ MR. CULLINAN (Tipperary, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether, in view of the fact that the Tipperary Urban Council in the first instance petitioned the Local Government Board to remit the surcharges made by the Local Government Board auditor, he can see his way to recommend the remission of the costs, amounting to £200, incurred in getting the said surcharges set aside in the Court of King's Bench, and save the ratepayers of Tipperary from being mulcted in this sum for protecting themselves from the illegal action of a Local Government Board official.
§ MR. WYNDHAMThe surcharges were made by the auditor in September. The parties aggrieved took no action whatever till December,when the auditor had taken proceedings at petty sessions to recover the amounts surcharged. They then, for the first time, wrote to the Local Government Board, and were informed that unless they lodged formal appeals the Board had no power to decide on the validity of the surcharges. The parties did not take that course, but elected to proceed in the Court of King's Bench. This Court could have awarded costs against the auditor, but did not do so. The present application is practically an appeal from the Order of the King's Bench Division, and there is no fund out of which the Board can pay the costs.
§ MR.T. W. RUSSELL (Tyrone, S.)As this may be the case in every constituency in Ireland, does the right hon.
986 Gentleman think he will get gentlemen to undertake public duties which may involve them in enormous cost?
§ [No answer was returned.]