§ 39. Mr. NORMAN CRAIGasked the President of the Local Government Board whether, upon the passing of the Local Government Act, 1904, the Westgate-on-Sea Parish Council became entitled to a sum of £95, being the proportion duo to Westgate-on-Sea in respect of the value of the parochial offices, Margate; whether the parish council have made some and what applications for permission to apply that sum to some and what objects, respectively; whether, in June, 1913, the parish council applied for permission to use the said sum towards the purchase of a steam fire-engine to replace an existing manual engine in bad condition; whether the application was refused, and for what reason; whether the Local Government Board has been asked to indicate a purpose to which the said sum may be devoted; and whether any and what purpose has been indicated in response to such request?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELThe parish council became entitled to the sum of £95 as stated, and have made applications for permission to apply the money to the provision of a shelter-seat in a pleasure ground, a band-stand in a similar position, and the purchase of a steam fire-engine. The first two proposals were held not to be purposes for which a parish council could apply these moneys, and, as regards the fire-engine, the object seemed not to be of a sufficiently permanent character to justify the proposed application of the 274 capital sum in question. If the parish council make a proposal to apply the sum to any capital purpose within their powers which would have a probable useful life of not less than twenty years the matter shall be favourably considered.