§ Mr. SHEEHANasked whether there is any clause or regulation in any of the orders of the Local Government Board compelling or authorising district councils-to charge incoming tenants of labourers' cottages with arrears due by former occupiers; whether he is aware of the number of tenants obliged to bear the burdens of their defaulting predecessors in occupation in this manner; and whether, seeing that this practice, as recently in Macroom union, leads to ejectments against tenants who are unable to meet these liabilities, the Local Government Board will take any steps to discourage it?
§ Mr. BIRRELLNo such regulation or order as that referred to has been made by the Local Government Board. On the contrary they have issued a circular advising rural district councils to discontinue the practice where it existed of making incoming tenants pay the arrears of their predecessors. The Board have no record of the number of tenants who were obliged to pay for the default of their predecessors.