GRAND JURY CESS AND POOR RATES. (Hansard, 9 August 1898)

VISCOUNT TEMPLETOWN
My Lords, I beg to move for a Return showing—

"I. For each county in Ireland (the North and South Ridings of county Tipperary to be treated as separate counties) for each of the five years ended respectively on 31st July, 1893, 1894, 1895, 1896, and 1897, the amount of the grand jury cess which was—

1.Directed to be levied under the county treasurer's warrants;

2.Lodged to credit of county treasurer by the barony collectors;

3. Re-presented on the premises as arrears deemed to be recoverable;

4. Re-presented on the barony as insolvencies, etc., deemed to be irrecoverable:

"II. For each poor law union in Ireland, for each of the five years ended respectively on 31st August, 1893, 1894,1895, 1896, and 1897, the amount of the poor rate (including all charges levied as poor rate) which was—

1. Directed to be raised in the warrants issued to the poor rate collectors;

2. Actually levied by the poor rate collectors under same warrants;

3. Treated as irrecoverable."

§ THE EARL OF DENBIGH
My Lords, the Motion of the noble Viscount has been submitted to the Local Government Board for report, and I am afraid I cannot do more than give the answer of the Local Government Board. They say that, in their opinion, the Return would involve very considerable expense, and would give an immense deal of trouble to county officers and poor law officers, at a time when they are working at high pressure in preparing for the Local Government Bill. The Government hope, therefore, that the Return will not be pressed for.

VISCOUNT TEMPLETOWN
In view of the fact that the whole attitude of Her Majesty's Government in the matter of Returns relating to Ireland is so unsatisfactory, I withdraw my Motion.