§ MR. SLOAN (Belfast, S.)To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether, in view of the powers of the Local Government Board under Section 29, subsection (3), of the Labourers Act of 1906, and of the fact that the labourers in the Moira Rural District Council, for whom cottages have been erected, have requested the Local Government Board to fix the fair rents of these cottages, and that the Local Government Board has informed the Moira Rural District Council that these rents ought to be submitted for their approval, he will say if the Moria Rural District Council has refused to do so; and, if so, what action is proposed to be taken to compel the administration of this section of the Labourers Act of 1906.
(Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The fixing of rents for cottages erected under the Labourers Acts is a matter for the local authority and not for the Local Government Board. The Board have called the attention of the Moira Rural District Council to Section 29 of the Labourers Act of 1906, which provides that the council shall make and submit to the Board regulations for the letting of cottages and allotments, containing amongst other things a schedule of rents. The council have postponed the consideration of the matter till their next monthly meeting, and the Board will await their further action before deciding what steps, if any, should be taken.