§ MR. MAURICE HEALY (Cork City)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, whether in the five probate district registries in Ireland where the officials are paid by fees (viz., Cavan, Mullingar, Kilkenny, Ballina, and Tuam), the emoluments of those officials have steadily declined owing to the provisions of the Finance Act relating to small estates, though, owing to the operations of that Act, the duty payable on probate, &c., has materially increased, and the Act, by increasing the number of personal applications for grants, has thereby added to the work done by the officials; and whether effect will now be given to the promise of the late Chancellor of the Exchequer, made on the 24th July 1894, that the remuneration of these clerks would be considered if it was found that the existing rates of pay were not sufficient?
§ MR. HANBURYI find that on the 4th July 1894, the District Registrars who are paid by fees were promised that, if experience should show that their emoluments are injuriously affected by the Finance Act of 1894, the Treasury will be prepared to consider the question of awarding compensation. The present Government adhere to this pledge, and will be prepared to consider any representation on the subject which may be received from the Registrars. But the statistics to the end of 1895 show no decrease in the fees received by these five officers.