§ MR. MACALEESEI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, in view of the fact that the income of the Intermediate Education Board in Ireland in the year 1894 was £42,298, that £10,878 of this amount was given in results fees and £6,476 in prizes, making a total of £17,345 administered, while a sum of £16,428 was absorbed in administering £17,345, if he is prepared to press for a more rigid economy in this matter, so that a smaller amount may be spent in salaries and incidentals and a larger sum be available for the purposes of education?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURThe question of the hon. Member does not quite accurately set forth the facts. The total income of the Intermediate Education Board from all sources for 1894 was £82,244. Of this sum £45,424 was expended in results fees to managers of schools and £15,104 in exhibitions and prizes to students, making in all £60,528 in results fees and prizes. The expenses incidental to the examinations, including the hire of rooms, printing and stationery, remuneration of examiners and their locomotion expenses, amounted to £11,692, whilst the actual cost of administration was £4,736. For further particulars I would refer the hon. Member to the report of the Controller and Auditor General on the accounts of the Board for 1894, recently presented to Parliament. I am not prepared to say whether a more rigid economy is called for on the part of this Board, nor am I in a position to bring pressure to bear on it.
§ MR. J. P. FARRELL (Cavan, W.)asked the right hon. Gentleman whether it was not possible for him to ask the Board to increase the number of exhibitions and prizes awarded, which was at present very small?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURI have no authority with the Board in my capacity as chief Secretary.