§ MR. H. PLUNKETT (Dublin Co., S)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that much dissatisfaction prevails in the Registry of Deeds (Ireland), both in the Senior Staff and in the Second Division, with regard to the scale of pay and the stagnation of promotion; and whether it would be possible to appoint some of these officials to posts in the Registry of Titles, as contemplated and specially provided for by the Local Registration of Title Act?
§ SIR J. T. HIBBERTI have had inquiry made into the grievances alleged in my hon. Friend's question, and I am satisfied that neither the first and second classes of the staff nor the Second Division clerks in the Registry of Deeds Office in Dublin have fair ground of complaint. The organisation of the Registry is that of a Second Division office, and a certain number of staff posts will be added as the first and second class clerks of the old establishment disappear. As there are still 20 of these surviving, 1516 there will not for some time be any excuse for the creation of staff posts, and I am assured that no Second Division clerk is employed on work which would justify the creation of such a post. With regard to the recent increase of staff in the Registry of Titles, I find that it consists in part of posts requiring professional qualifications, and for the rest is composed of persons temporarily employed. I can see no possibility at present of transferring to it any members of the Staff of the Registry of Deeds.