§ MR. FETHERSTONHAUGH (Fermanagh, N.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if his attention has been drawn to the amounts awarded by the inspectors under the Labourers Acts in the counties of Antrim and Down; if he is aware that these amounts are 40 per cent. under the value heretofore given and which the land would fetch in the open market, and considerably below the value put on the same by the promoting councils themselves; if any change has been made in the instructions given to valuers, and will they be instructed to award a market price for the land taken; and has his attention been called to a resolution received from the Ballymoney Rural District Council in this connection.
§ MR. BIRRELLThe Local Government Board have no information to the effect stated in the Question. They have, however, received, a resolution from the Ballymoney Rural District Council requesting that the arbitrator should be instructed to include in his award the sums agreed upon by the council and the parties interested in certain cases. The Local Government Board do not issue instructions to arbitrators as to the basis on which they should assess compensation, and it would be irregular for them to do so.