§ Mr. HODGEasked the Attorney-General for Ireland why the registrars of county courts in Ireland refused to register memoranda of agreements made under the provisions of the Workmen's Compensation Act between employers and employed; whether the Belfast county court judge had upheld the registrar of that court in such refusal; whether any different regulations were in force in Irish county courts with respect to the registration of such agreements as compared with English county courts; and, if so, would he explain the reason for the difference?
§ The ATTORNEY-GENERAL for IRELAND (Mr. Redmond Barry)I am not aware that the registrars of county courts in Ireland refuse to register memoranda of agreements under the Workmen's Compensation Act. The rule regulating the practice is No. 4 of the Rules dated 1st June, 1909, and under it, in the Belfast case referred to, the Recorder of Belfast held that a mere verbal agreement could not be registered. I understand that decision was affirmed by the Irish Court of Appeal on 24th April last. I do not know what construction is placed on the English Rule dealing with the matter—namely, No. 42 (2) of the Rules dated 19th May, 1909. The terms of the Rules do not correspond. The Irish Rules were made by the rule-making authority, no doubt upon the view taken by them of the requirements under Clause 9 of the second Schedule to the Act. There is, I believe, no difficulty whatever in complying with the Irish rule.