§ Mr. FARRELLasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether his attention has been called to the refusal of the Local Government Board to sanction a proposal of the Ballymahon District Council to rent for the purposes of allotments and cow pasture the lands of Ballymulvey which remained in the landlord's hands; whether they offered £20 a year rent for these lands and the landlord refused to accept less than £30; whether it was the fault of the Local Government Board that because of their interference these lands were grabbed by outsiders; whether he is aware that the poor town tenants of Ballymahon had no other hope for a supply of milk to their families than from the proposed action of the district council; and will he communicate with them with a view to securing their approval for a future scheme?
§ Mr. DUKEThe Local Government Board pointed out to the rural district council that lands can be acquired for the purposes of allotments for labourers under2248W Section 16 of the Labourers Act of 1885, ! but that the Board is not. empowered to authorise the rural district council to acquire lands for the purposes of pasturage or turbary. This advice was correct, and cannot properly be called an interference of the Board with the council.