§ MR. HEMPHILL (Tyrone, N.)To ask Mr. Attorney-General for Ireland whether attention has been called to a recent correspondence between Mr. Michael M'Aleer, of Newtown Stewart, county Tyrone, and the Local Government Board, relative to the representation for a scheme under the Labourers Cottages 705 Acts, rejected on January 5th last, although a similar scheme had been approved of on a former occasion but had not been proceeded with; if so, whether he can state for what reason the Local Government Board have not, pursuant to the said Acts, directed a local inquiry to be held, and report made, as to the said representations.
(Answered by Mr. Atkinson.) The consideration of the representations was adjourned by the council on January 5th as some of the representations were not accompanied by the requisite certificates of the medical officer of health. The Board are at present in correspondence with the council relative to the pending scheme, but as the council have not made default under the Labourers Acts they have no grounds for ordering an inquiry under Section 4 of the Act of 1891. I may add that the councils of the two Strabane Rural Districts have authorised the building of 173 cottages.