§ MR. SLOANI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he can state the time intervening between the application for a labourer's cottage in the Lisburn district until the same has been built and ready for occupation, as compared with a similar transaction in the Antrim district; and whether, in view of the delay in providing these houses, he will take steps to insist on the Antrim Rural District Council having the work completed forthwith.
MR. BRYCEThe Local Government Board are informed that in the case of the Lisburn Rural District, as a rule, a period of not more than one and a half years elapses between the receipt of a representation for labourers' cottages and the completion of the building of the cottages. In the case of the Antrim Rural District, a considerable delay occurred in connection with the first scheme, because of the refusal of the Council to build cottages for fishermen; and the time which elapsed between the date of the original application, and the dates of the completion of the cottages was from three to four years. The Local Government Board are informed that the cottages for which a second scheme was formulated in 1904 will be completed this year. If, however, further delay should occur, the Board will take such action as may be possible to expedite the completion of the cottages.