§ LORD EDMUND FITZMAURICE (Wiltshire, Cricklade)To ask the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been called to the report of the inquiry held by one of the Local Government Board's inspectors at Stratton St. Margaret's, in Wiltshire, in reference to an application for a loan to meet excess expenditure for a sewage scheme, and to the conduct of the engineers employed by the Highworth Rural District Council, as disclosed in that report; and whether he can take any steps to protect local authorities from similar proceedings on the part of engineers in other cases.
(Answered by Mr. Gerald Balfour.) The report to which the noble Lord refers is, no doubt, that which was published in the Sanitary Record of March 30th and April 6th last. I have since received the report made to the Local Government Board by the inspector who held the inquiry. I do not think that there are many firms employed by local authorities who would have taken the course which appears to have been adopted by the firm referred to in the Question. Possibly the publicity given to the present case may be a sufficient protection to local authorities against similar practices.