§ MR. GINNELLTo ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if all the official local government auditors have passed a similar qualifying examination before appointment, how does he account for some of them passing accounts in which law, engineering, and other expenses are mixed beyond the possibility of subsequent segregation; whether the Local Government Board will in future appoint as auditors only duly-qualified men after competitive 1027 examination; and whether the Board will require an intelligent annual analysis of the accounts of local bodies or the keeping of the accounts in such a way that information useful to the public can be obtained when required.
(Answered by Mr. Birrell.) As regards the qualifications prescribed for candidates far auditorships under the Local Government Board, I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to a Question on the subject asked by the hon. Member for Kilkenny on the 9th instant. The Board are satisfied that their existing orders are quite sufficient for the purpose referred to in the last part of the Question.