.
x. ' Local Government (Ireland) Acts.
Alteration of Local GtOvernuent Ajieas.
Proceedings were instituted during tlie year for the adoption
of the Towns Improvement (Ireland) Act, 1854, in the town
of Howth and adjoining district in County Dublin. The Order
approving the boundaries and directing a meeting to be held to
consider the matter was made by us on the 17th January, 1917.
On receiving a report that the meeting was in favour of the
adoption of the Act, we issued an Order on the 22nd March
last declaring the Act to be in force in the new town as from
the 1st October, 1917. Our action was questioned before the
Courts by the North Dublin Eural District Council, but the
Court of King's Bench refused the application of the Eural
District Council. An appeal has since been taken by the
Council, which has failed, the Court of Appeal upholding the
Order made by us. The decision of the Court in this case is
one of great importance to growing communities desiring to be
placed under municipal government.
Meetings of Public Bodies.
During the year we made Orders at the request of the public
bodies concerned in pursuance of Section 14 of the Local Govern¬
ment (Ireland) Act, 1902, altering the day or hour at which
the statutory monthly meetings of the Council may be held in
the Urban Districts of Castlebar, Navan and Strabane.
We also issued Orders under the Urban (Transferred Business
Procedure) Order, 1906, authorising the Bundoran and Port-
stewart Urban District Councils to hold half-yearly instead of
quarterly meetings for the transaction of business relating to
public works in their districts.
Local Government (Ireland) Act, 1898.—Section G6.
During the year we issued the usual certificates under this
Section of the sums to be paid to us by the Corporation of Dublin
and the Dublin County Council to meet payments in respect
of the pensions of the staff of the former Collector-General of
Eates in Dublin, the total sums payable by the City and County
being the same as in last year.
Education (Provision of Meals) (Ireland) Acts,
1914-1916.
To the list of districts in which these Acts are in force the
Urban Districts of Bray, Carlow, Kilkenny, Killarney and New
Eoss have to be added, the appropriate Orders having been
made l)y us during the year for these towns. The question
of putting the Acts in force in Waterford County Borough is
under the consideration of the Corporation
