§ MR. KNOXI beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that, though the evidence given before the Committee of 1896 on the Belfast Corporation and Londonderry Improvement Bills was ordered to be printed, and was printed, in a Blue-book from the shorthand notes, and though part of the time was occupied by witnesses who were called by the Committee and not 925 by the parties, the whole cost of the shorthand writer's notes has been charged to the parties, including a charge to some petitioners in respect of days when they were not represented; will he explain on what grounds the Treasury has refused to pay any part of the cost; and whether, having regard to the fact that some of the petitioners appeared to urge matters of public interest, and that the Bill was sent to a hybrid Committee owing to its semi-public character, the Treasury will now pay the shorthand writer's fees?
§ * MR. HANBURYThe facts are, I believe, as stated. I cannot find that the Treasury has ever been asked to pay part of the cost of the shorthand writer's notes, but if such a request were made, I do not see how such a charge on the general taxpayer could be justified. The Acts were not Government Measures, and it is distinctly provided in each Act that the costs, charges, and expenses of and incident to the preparing, applying for obtaining, and passing the Measures should be paid by the Corporation. I have already explained that the shorthand writer's fees are high, and that the Treasury have no control over them.