§ DR. KENNY (Cork, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether the Collector General of Rates for Dublin, or the Auditor of the Local Government Board, has ever made any Report, 1343 either to the Lord Lieutenant or to himself, as Chief Secretary, on certain official irregularities of Mr. R. G. Pilkington, Inspector, in the Collector General's Office, of vacant and otherwise unrateable premises, the irregularities consisting of his giving his official certificate that the rates on certain premises were irrecoverable, when, as a matter of fact, the said rates had been twice paid, once by landlord of premises and once by tenant of same, to a collector of rates, who fraudulently retained them; whether, if no such Report has been made either to the Lord Lieutenant or himself, he will call upon the Collector General of Rates to report on such grave official irregularities as above indicated, and direct a general inquiry into the matter; and, whether the defaulting collector above alluded to was ever prosecuted, or his sureties proceeded against.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURNeither the Collector General nor the Auditor has made a Report to the Government of the irregularities on the part of Mr. Pilkington other than the Report received from the former in reply to the hon. Member's question a few days ago when it appeared that in the opinion of his Department there was nothing in Mr. Pilkington's official conduct calling for censure. The Acting Collector General reports that a warrant was obtained for the arrest of the defaulting collector, who, however, managed to leave the country before his arrest could be effected. His surety was proceeded against, and has paid the amount of the defalcations in full, together with the costs.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI believe that something of the kind did occur, but an error of this kind is sometimes inevitable.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI have no cognisance of the fact.