§ MR. DILLON (Mayo, E.)To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant 456 of Ireland whether his attention has been directed to the provisions of the County Poor Rate Collectors Order, 1899; whether the qualification and disqualifications prescribed in Article 8 of that Order applied to county or Poor Law officers before the year 1898; whether some doubt has not arisen as to the legality of this Order; and whether he will cause the Order to be withdrawn with a view to the reconsideration of its provisions.
(Answered by Mr. Bryce.) My attention has been called to the provisions of the County Poor Rate Collectors' Order, 1899. The qualifications and disqualifications prescribed in Article 8 were created by the Order and are now embodied in the Public Bodies Order of 1904. Previous to the date of the first-named Order the appointment of all officers of the guardians was subject to the approval of the Local Government Board, who refused their sanction when they thought it necessary to do so. I understand that some doubts have been suggested as to the legality of the Order, and I have invited the opinions of the Law Officers on the subject. It would be impossible to withdraw the Order without considering generally the provisions of this and other similar Orders, and such light as is thrown by the provisions of the law in England, and without at the same time considering what provisions should be included in any Order or Orders to be made in substitution for the existing Orders. These matters will be considered.