§ MR. J. E. REDMOND (Wexford, N.)asked the Secretary to the Treasury, with reference to the allegation that the principal posts in the Inland Revenue Department in Ireland were filled by Englishmen, most of them transferred from minor positions in London to the Dublin Office, and promoted over the heads of the Irish Civil Servants, Whether the Controller of Stamps in Dublin, Mr. W. E. Phelps, was promoted from a minor clerkship in Somerset House to the head of the Dublin Office; whether 1617 the Controller of Legacy Duty, Mr. E. Freeth, was promoted within the past two years from a minor clerkship in Somerset House to the head of that Department in Dublin; whether the two inspectors of Taxes for Ireland are Mr. Tarlton and Mr. Smith; whether all those officials are Englishmen, and fill the principal posts in the Irish Inland Revenue Service; whether there is a single member of the Board of Inland Revenue an Irishman; and, whether there is any instance of an Irishman having ever been promoted to an important position in that branch of the Public Service?
§ THE SECRETARY (Mr. JACKSON) (Leeds, N.)I am informed that the answer to the first Question is "No," and also to the second Question. The answer to the third Question is "Yes." The officials named are Englishmen; but it is not correct, as has been said, that Englishmen fill the principal posts in the Irish Inland Revenue Service, the principal offices of solicitor and collector being ably filled by Irishmen. With regard to the other Questions, I am informed that there are many instances of Irishmen having been promoted to important positions in the Inland Revenue and other Departments of the Public Service.
§ MR. J. E. REDMONDasked, if the hon. Gentleman had any objection to state under what circumstances the two Englishmen mentioned were promoted to their present position?
§ MR. JACKSONsaid, he had the information; but he thought the answer he had given would have satisfied the hon. Member. Mr. Phelps was not promoted from a minor clerkship in Somerset House to the head of the Dublin Office. He was appointed Assistant Controller in Dublin in 1871, having previously been a clerk in the Department of the Accountant and Controller General of Somerset House for 14 years, and was made Controller in 1875. In reference to Mr. Freeth, he might point out that he was not the Controller of Legacy Duty. There was no Controller of Legacy Duty in Dublin; but a Deputy Controller—a clerk of high standing and special qualifications in Somerset House—was appointed more than three years ago, because there was no one in the Office in Dublin who was 1618 considered competent to perform the duties.
§ MR. J. E. REDMONDAm I to understand that the inference from my Question is correct, that these two English officials from Somerset House were promoted over the heads of the Irish Civil Servants in the Irish Office?
§ MR. JACKSONI have endeavoured to answer the Question as put, because the inference which is possible to be drawn from the first Question, that Mr. Phelps was promoted from a minor clerkship in Somerset House directly to the head Office in Dublin, is not correct, as I have stated.
§ MR. J. E. REDMONDThat is not the point which I asked. The point which I asked was, whether these two Englishmen were promoted over the heads of the Irish Civil Servants in the Irish Office?
§ MR. JACKSONI am afraid I cannot give the hon. Member any more information than I have already given. I have already stated that the inference to be drawn from the first Question was not correct under the circumstances under which these men were promoted.
§ MR. ARTHUR O'CONNOR (Donegal, E.)May I ask whether there is a member of the Inland Revenue Board in Ireland?
§ MR. JACKSONI believe that this Question does not refer to the Board of Inland Revenue in Ireland, but to the Board of Inland Revenue in this country. I believe there is no Irish member upon that Board, so called; but I think the House will agree with me that man}' of these offices have been filled, and filled with great ability, by Irishmen.