§ Mr. JAMES O'CONNORasked the Attorney-General for Ireland whether he is aware that the Local Government Board have made new rules under the Labourers Acts, Rule 55 (8), leaving it optional with solicitors deducing title, and acting on behalf of an owner or a lessee, to claim a fee of two guineas without any taxation of their account where the compensation does not exceed £60; whether he is aware that solicitors so acting are claiming a fee of two guineas for deducing the title of tenant purchasers where heretofore they got only half a guinea, tenant purchasers not being owners or lessees within the meaning of the Section; and whether he proposes to take any action with regard to this claim?
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§ Mr. CHERRYThe Labourers (Ireland) Older, 1909, a copy of which I have for-warded to the hon. Member, contains a provision to the effect stated in the question. If, in the cases referred to by the hon. Member, the persons from whom the fee is claimed are not owners or lessees, the provision in question would not apply. Payments under this provision are made entirely on the responsibility of the rural
district council and their solicitor, and are subject to review, in due course, by the Auditor of the Local Government Board.