§ MR. T. W. RUSSELL (Tyrone, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland why Dr. Dickson, who was a candidate for the position of medical officer for the Clonelly district, part of which is in Fermanagh and part in Donegal, and received a majority of the votes of the combined districts, has not received the appointment; whether he is aware that the actual voting was, in the Fermanagh part, Patton twenty-three, Dickson fourteen, and in the Donegal part, Dick- 256 son twenty-two, Patton six, giving Dr. Dickson a majority in the combined districts of seven votes; and if he will inquire as to why the appointment has not been made.
* MR. BRYCEI am informed that this Question is asked under a misapprehension of the facts. The Clonelly dispensary district is wholly situate in the Irvinestown Union of county Fermanagh; it adjoins the Pettigo dispensary district of the Donegal Union in county Donegal, but the two dispensary Districts are as distinct as any other two dispensary districts in Ireland. The Guardians of Irvinestown Union have appointed Dr. Patton as medical officer of Clonolly dispensary district, and the Guardians of Donegal Union have appointed Dr. Dickson as medical officer of Pettigo dispensary district. Neither Board of Guardians was under an obligation to appoint the medical officer selected by the other, although the two dispensary districts were formerly in charge of one medical officer.