§ Mr. CLANCYasked the Chief Secretary with reference to the explanation given of the difference in the rents charged for labourers' cottages in the Celbridge (county Dublin) rural district, whether, in stating that the rents were higher in one portion of the district than in another because the wages paid were higher, he took account of the fact that employment was by no means constant in the area in which the higher rents are charged; if not, whether inquiry will be made into this point; and whether, if it be found that on the whole the wages actually earned in that area do not in the course of a year amount to more than elsewhere in the same district, the Local Government Board will make representations to the district council with a view to a revision of the higher rents to which reference has been made?
§ Mr. BIRRELLAs I indicated in my answer to the previous question on the same subject asked by the hon. Member on 29th March, the explanation in question was given by the rural district council, who, no doubt, fully considered the circumstances as to the wage earning capacity of the labourers throughout the year in the different electoral divisions. The council are required by the Labourers Act of 1906 to fix the rents so as to secure a reasonable return, having regard to the circumstances of the locality affected, on the expenditure incurred by the council in providing the cottages and plots; and their action in differentiating between the rents for cottages in different localities shows that they have had this provision in mind. The Local Government Board do not propose to interfere with the discretion of the council in this matter.