HC Deb 25 February 1897 vol 46 cc1139-40
MR. JOHN DILLON (Mayo, E.)

On behalf of the hon. Member for South Donegal (MR. J. SWIFT MACNEILL), I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he will make further inquiries into the system of converting renewals into new loans which prevails in the Ballyshannon (County Donegal) Loan Fund Society's office; whether, notwithstanding the information supplied by the clerk at Ballyshannon to the Loan Fund Board, it is the custom for a police pensioner, who is or was a committee man or trustee of the said society, to attend and lend the money to the borrower as he enters the office, and take it from him as he emerges therefrom; whether, in view of the illegalities practised by such societies, such a state of affairs will be allowed to continue; and, whether he will order a further inquiry on oath into the working of the Ballyshannon Loan Fund Society?

MR. GERALD BALFOUR

I have twice endeavoured to obtain from the clerk of the Ballyshannon Loan Fund Society a satisfactory explanation of the alleged practices complained of in this Question, but without success. The only positive statement I can gather from his reports is that no loans have been renewed by the society since the 25th July last. The whole matter is now, however, receiving the consideration of the Loan Fund Board, who propose to direct their inspector to proceed forthwith to Ballyshannon and inquire into the irregularities referred to.