§ MR. ERRINGTONasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland, Whether the statement in the "Athenæum" of this week is correct—
That a Treasury Commission has been appointed to inquire and report on the Queen's Colleges in Ireland;"—488 and, if so, whether he will state what were the objects and scope of the inquiry?
§ SIR MICHAEL HICKS-BEACHThe statement in question is correct, and the Commission is now pursuing its inquiry, which is confined to certain points connected with the Queen's Colleges, and does not extend to the Queen's University. The points referred to the Commission are as follows:—The constitution of the College Councils, the present mode of appointment to offices in the Colleges, the distribution of the work of teaching among the Professors and Lecturers, the remuneration of these gentlemen and other officers of the Colleges, and the arrangements in regard to the class fees paid by the students.