§ MR. T. W. RUSSELL (Tyrone, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether, on or about the 1st of April last, the Local Government Board forwarded a sealed order to the treasurer of the Tipperary Board of Guardians, ordering him to pay over forthwith to the Commissioners of National Education the results' fees due by the Board of Guardians to the teachers of the Tipperary Union for the year commencing 1st of April 1888; whether such results' fees have since been paid; if not, what was the amount then due by the Board to the treasurer; how much has since been lodged by the collectors with the treasurer; and, if the treasurer has honoured the Board's cheques for other purposes of the Union out of the funds since lodged by the collectors, in contravention of Section 9 of the National School Teachers (Ireland) Act?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR,) Manchester, E.The sealed order mentioned was forwarded on the 3rd instant. The amount assessed on the Union, £1,100, has not yet been paid over by the treasurer to the credit of the Commissioners of National Education. It appears that the Guardians were, at the time that the order was received, in debt to their treasurer to the extent of £1,046, and that although £792 has since been lodged by the collectors to the credit of the Union, the Guardians are still in their treasurer's debt. It further appears that no cheques have since been cashed except for outdoor relief. It does not appear that since the sealed order was forwarded there have been any funds lying in the hands of the treasurer to the credit of the Union within the meaning of the 9th Section referred to by the hon. Member. The Guardians hope to be in a position to pay the amount assessed for results' fees within a month.