§ MR. GRAYasked the Secretary to the Treasury, Whether he can state the nature of the inquiry he has undertaken to institute into the office of the Board of Works in Ireland; and, whether he has any objection to lay upon the Table of the House the Report of the Treasury Commission appointed to inquire into the working of the Department in 1872?
§ MR. W. H. SMITHI am afraid I cannot give the House the precise terms of the Reference; but the general nature of the inquiry was indicated in my remarks in Committee of Supply on the 13th of July. The Report of the Treasury Committee of 1872 deals almost entirely with the details of the distribution and arrangement of the work of the office. It is to some extent of a confidential character, and on that account there would be some objection to laying it on the Table. But, apart from this, I think there would be no advantage in now publishing it at a moment when further inquiries are about to be undertaken.