§ MR. T. M. HEALY (Louth, N.)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the Belfast Harbour Board, the Belfast Chamber of Commerce, and the Dublin Chamber of Commerce are all opposed to the present constitution of the Irish Lights Board, and claim that it should be in some form representative; whether he is aware that the Associated Chambers of Commerce, at their annual meeting held in England this year, passed a resolution unanimously calling for reform in the constitution of the Irish Lights Board; can he state what are the qualifications of the latest co-opted members of the Board, and how many meetings have they each attended; whether the weekly luncheon, which is served on meeting day to the Commissioners, is charged against the Mercantile Marine Account; whether the members of the Dublin Corporation Commissioners are excluded from the Inspection Committee; and does this Committee take an annual trip around the coast in 1327 the summer time, and receive each £2 2s. a day subsistence allowance, in addition to all travelling expenses at the expense of the public?
§ MR. MUNDELLAI have not been made aware of the views of the Belfast Harbour Board, but I have received from the Associated Chambers of Commerce (which includes the Belfast and Dublin Chambers of Commerce) a Memorial asking that mercantile men selected by the Chambers of Commerce and Harbour Commissioners of Dublin, Belfast, Cork, and Londonderry should be added to the Board of Irish Lights. The constitution of the Board is fixed by Statute and can only be altered by Parliament. The Commissioners of Irish Lights report to me that the last four gentlemen who have been elected members of their Board are—
| Name. | Qualification. | Date of Election. | No. of Attendances. |
| Mr. Michael Murphy | Shipowner, Bank and Railway Director; President of the Chamber of Commerce, Dub. | Nov. 20, 1891. | 10 |
| His Grace the Duke of Abercorn, K.G. | — | Feb. 12, 1892. | 2 |
| The Lord Ardilaun, P.C. | — | April 1, 1892. | 0 |
| Sir Howard Grubb, F.R.S. | — | Jan. 29, 1893. | 8 |
§ Lord Ardilaun's absence has been occasioned by illness. The Commissioners elect their own Committees; and the ex officio members of the Dublin Corporation are not excluded from the Inspecting Committee; the High Sheriff was nominated on that Committee in January last. This Committee make an annual inspection of all lights, buoys, and beacons under their charge round the coast of Ireland, the expenses of 1328 which, as well as of the weekly luncheon served on Board days, are charged against the annual sum allowed by the Board of Trade to meet the housekeeping expenses of the Commissioners, which is limited to £400. The members of the Committee receive no personal allowance.
§ MR. T. M. HEALYIs it customary in England to allow weekly luncheons at the expense of the public?
§ MR. MUNDELLAI do not see how gentlemen who attend the Board meetings that give their services gratuitously can be expected to go without food. The accounts are strictly audited.
§ MR. T. M. HEALYIs there any chance of Members of this House, who give their services gratuitously, getting a daily luncheon?
§ * MR. W. KENNY (Dublin, St. Stephen's Green)Has any complaint ever been made to the Board of Trade as to the way in which these gentlemen perform their duties, and is there any foundation for the charge brought against them by the hon. and learned Member for Louth some days ago, that they are a corrupt Body?
§ MR. MUNDELLAAs I have said, a Memorial has been received from the Associated Chambers of Commerce, including the Dublin and Belfast Chambers, but there certainly is no ground for the charge that they are a corrupt Body.
§ * MR. W. KENNYThe right hon. Gentleman has not answered my first question. Has any complaint been made of the way in which they perform their duties?
§ MR. MUNDELLANo, Sir.