§ COLONEL NOLAN (Galway, N.)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, What percentage of the money advanced for seed in Ireland has been repaid; if the balance is duo by unions situated in the poorer districts, and with a large population; if he would institute an inquiry to ascertain if such balances were chiefly uncollectable, from causes arising from hurry in issuing the seed; and, if an inquiry would also be made as to the possibility of remitting a portion of said balances?
§ MR. J. F. X. O'BRIEN (Mayo, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, If Government will consider, with respect to the trifling balance of the Seed Rate now unpaid, that it is due from the poorest and most distressed districts, upon which 172 enforcing the collection would entail distress entirely out of proportion to any good to be gained by the Treasury by the receipt of the sum in question; and, if, seeing how punctually the vast bulk of the Seed Rate has been repaid, he will recommend that Government shall forego its claim for the small balance still duo by the very poor districts?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR, Manchester, E.)In reply to these questions, I may state that something over 7 per cent of the Seed Loan, chiefly due from the poorer districts, is still outstanding. The question of the possibility of remitting a portion of the balance is one rather for the Treasury than for me. We are in communication on the subject; but, in saying this, I must not be understood to make any promise of remission.