§ MR. ROGERS (Wiltshire, Devizes)To ask the President of the Local Government Board whether instructions are given by the Board to their auditors to allow or to surcharge payment by a county council of the reasonable 110 travelling expenses of the members of the council when engaged in the business of the council, or payment by any other local authority, whose accounts are subject to the audit of the Board, of the reasonable travelling expenses of members of the authority when engaged in the business of the authority.
§ (Answered by Mr. John Burns.) No instructions have been given by the Local Government Board to the district auditor on this subject. I am, however, advised that, looking to the decision of the High Court in the case of Rex v. Dolby, a local authority are in general not empowered to pay the travelling expenses of members of their body when engaged on the ordinary business of the authority within the district. This view would apply to county councils as well as to other local authorities.