§ MR. D. KILBRIDE (Galway, N.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the 467 Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, with reference to the condemned hair mattresses and the furniture supplied by a Belfast contractor to Purdysburn Asylum, Belfast, whether he will give the names of the five firms who were invited to tender for the contract; and if he will state who suggested the names of the firms so invited, and why a public invitation for tenders was not published in the Belfast daily papers; whether he is aware that some of the largest mattress manufacturers and dealers in Belfast were not given any opportunity of competing as to tenders; and if he will make inquiry into the matter and, in the public interest, take steps to secure open competition for asylum contracts by having advertisements for tenders published in the papers?
§ * MR. GERALD BALFOURThe names of the five firms which were suggested by the Resident Medical Superintendent are the Bank Building Company, Hanna and Browne, Mayers, Robert Hanna, and Wright and Hunter. It was thought that, five firms of repute having been selected, satisfactory competition would be secured. The Inspectors of Lunatic Asylums have no information as to the second paragraph. I may add that tenders have been invited by public advertisement in the case of contracts for furniture required at the asylum, and that I am inquiring into the Question generally.