§ MR. JOYCE (Limerick)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he is aware that the course followed at the election of conservators in at least one fishery division of the Limerick fishery district is that one or two of the ex officio or elected members on election year nominate six to their own choosing, collect the proxies, and vote with such proxies for the six so nominated, to the exclusion of all others; and whether he proposes to take any action in the matter.
MR. BRYCEIn the opinion of the Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction there is nothing illegal in the procedure referred to in the Question. Holders of fishery licences are free to give their proxies to whomsoever they may choose. Whether the existing method of election of boards of conservators is a satisfactory one, I am not at present in a position to form an opinion, and, as I have already informed the hon. Member, I cannot now make any statement as to possible legislation on the subject.