HC Deb 12 March 1888 vol 323 c857
MR. J. O'CONNOR (Tipperary, S.)

(for Mr. CONDON) (Tipperary, E.) asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether the printing for the Loan Fund Board at Cashel was formerly done by a local firm; whether by an Order of the Loan Fund Inspector the Cashel Board have been compelled to send their printing to the Dublin Castle printers; whether the work now costs about double the amount for which it was formerly done; and, whether, under these circumstances, he will order that the work be given to the local firm in the future?

THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDER SECRETARY (Colonel KING-HARMAN) (Kent, Isle of Thanet)

(who replied) said, some Members of the Local Loan Fund Board having provided themselves with forms which were not legal, and others which were not uniform, the Board considered it advisable to keep in stock documents, so as to secure that only those which were legal and uniform should be used. No compulsion was used on the Society in the matter; but they, in common with other similar Societies, seeing the advantage to be derived from it, voluntarily adopted the present system of having the printing done; but they were at perfect liberty to discontinue it, if they thought it desirable to do so. Whether the forms printed by the Dublin Castle printers cost more than those printed by local firms he was unable to say.