§ MR. R. M. DANE (Fermanagh, N.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland—(1) if he is aware that the discount paid by the borrowers of the Castleblayney Loan Fund in 1895 amounted to £422 4s. 4d., and that the fines of this office for same year amounted to £212 5s. 1d., or more than half the discount paid; (2) if he is aware that the clerk or clerks of said office received as salary in 1895 £160 for one day in each week during the year; that the total expenses of management of the office, including, salary, rent, &c., amounted to £290 12s.; that the Clerk of the Castleblayney office is also Clerk of three other offices in county Monaghan, the combined salaries for the four offices amounting to £500 annually; and that the expenses of management of the four offices, including salaries, rent, &c., amounted in 1895 to £750 12s. 6d.; (3) if he will bring this expenditure under the notice of the Loan Fund Board, with a view of reducing the salaries and rents of the Loan Funds in county Monaghan, and thus reduce the rate of discount and fines; and (4), if he will state the amount of net profit of the four Loan Funds in county Monaghan since their establishment some years ago, after one-tenth had been set apart for the security of debenture holders; where is the reserve net profit invested; in whose name; and for whose benefit?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURI am informed that the facts are as stated in the first paragraph. The salary paid to the Castleblayney Clerk in 1895 amounted to £160. In addition to an attendance of one day each week at the office of the society, he is also required to attend at the Petty Sessions whenever borrowers and their sureties are proceeded against. The total expenses of management of the society for 1895 are correctly stated as £290 12s. 0d. The Clerk of Castleblayney is also Clerk of Carrickmacross and Ballybay Loan 1067 Funds, and the aggregate of his salaries as Clerk of these three societies is £300 per annum. The combined expenses of management of these three societies amounted to £623 9s. 1d. in 1895, inclusive of salaries, rent, &c. As to the third paragraph, the rates of discount are regulated by the Loan Fund Act of 1843, and the fines are regulated by the rules certified under that statute. Of course borrowers can avoid the payment of fines by paying the instalments of their loans punctually. The net profits of the four loan funds in county Monaghan from their formation to the 31st December 1895, amounted to £1,158 8s. The net profits are utilised as portion of the working capital of these loan fund societies.
§ MR. D. MACALEESE (Monaghan, N.)As it appears from the Question of the hon. Gentleman the Member for Fermanagh that four loan funds exist in county Monaghan, will the right hon. Gentleman tell the names of the towns at which the loan funds exist?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURI am afraid I have not got that on the Paper, but I will make inquiries if the hon. Member desires.