Major NEWMANasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether his attention 627W has been called to a resolution unanimously passed by the Kerry County Council on the 22nd ultimo, warning the rate collector of the Waterville district that if he continued to employ a pensioner of the Royal Irish Constabulary to collect the rates the council would be obliged to immediately supersede the rate collector, as ex-members of the Royal Irish Constabulary could not be allowed such employment; and will he, in consequence of the disability for employment under which they labour, consider the increasing of the pensions at present paid to ex-members of the force, more especially in the case of the older men?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONThe Kerry County Council, on the 20th ultimo, forbade Collector Reilly to continue to employ a man named Dolan as a deputy rate collector without their authority, but made no reference whatever to the Royal Irish Constabulary in their resolution. I understand, however, that Dolan is an ex-sergeant of police. The duties of a poor rate collector are required to be performed in person and not by deputy, save in the case of illness which is likely to be prolonged, and the deputy must then be approved of by the county council, the collectors' sureties, and the Local Government Board. The county council, therefore, were acting within their discretion. With regard to the last part of the question, I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the reply given yesterday to a question on this subject, asked by my hon. Friend the Member for the Woodvale Division of Belfast.