§ Mr. LONSDALEasked the Chief Secretary what was the number of extra police chargeable to the county Galway immediately prior to the revision of the county establishment in May of last year; whether as a result of this revision the executive, without reducing the net establishment, relieved the county of the cost of a considerable number of the extra force at the expense of the Imperial taxpayer; and, if so, what was the number of the extra force of men whose expense was transferred to the Constabulary Vote, and what was the annual saving to the county rate so effected?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe number of extra police chargeable to county Galway before the redistribution of the free force in 1909 was 345. There was also a free force of 616 men, making a total of 961 police in the county. By the redistribution the 205W number of the free force in county Galway was fixed at 741, and at the same time the extra force was reduced to 201, making a total of 942. These changes have relieved the county rates to the extent of about £4,960 per annum.