§
Motion made, and Question proposed,
That a sum, not exceeding £2,771, be Granted to Her Majesty, to complete the sum necessary to defray the charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March 1898, for the salaries and expenses of the Household of the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland.
§ MR T. P. O'CONNORsuggested that they should now report Progress.
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURurged that they should go on, as this Vote would not need prolonged discussion.
§ MR. DILLON and DR. TANNERdissented from that view.
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURsuggested that the Votes for the Public Record Office, the Surveyor General's Office, and the Valuation and Boundary Survey might be taken.
§ MR. DILLONsaid there was an important question to be raised on the Valuation and Boundary Survey Vote, and also on the Public Record Office Vote. On the Vote for the Lord Lieutenant's household he wished to call attention to the salary of the private secretary. Instead of the salary of this office being reduced or modified, it appeared to him to be enormously increased. The emoluments of this gentleman amounted to about £1,600 a year, and although the question had been raised year after year, it could never be ascertained what his functions were. He believed he had no public functions whatever, and he had always thought his salary much too large. The whole question of the cost of the Viceregal establishment had acquired a new aspect in view of the new system of charging certain sums against Ireland. Every single item in connection with the hangers on to that establishment was charged to Ireland, and he did not think the Chief Secretary could be surprised if the Irish Members scrutinised the extravagance of Dublin Castle with more care than in past years. He thought he would be expressing the feelings of the Irish Members on this matter by moving to reduce the salary of the private secretary to The Lord Lieutenant by £329, and he begged to move accordingly.
MR. T. M. HEALYsuggested to the Government that they should withdraw this Vote, and take the Vote for the Charitable Bequests and Donations Office.
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURthought it was reasonable to ask the House to dispose of this Vote. It had never been discussed at any great length hitherto. The Vote for the private secretary reached the amount named, because he enjoyed a pension in view of his having been assistant under secretary, and he only received £829 in respect of his office of private secretary.
§ MR. FLYNNsaid that the discussion of this Vote must occupy considerable time. Why should the Lord Lieutenant have a highly-paid private secretary to write out invitations to Court functions? The services of a typewriter could be secured for £2 a week.
MR. T. M. HEALYobserved that the salary of the kettledrummer had disappeared from this Vote. In his place, however, a new personage appeared—namely, "the succentor." Who could he be? [Laughter.]
THE CHAIRMAN (Mr. GRANT LAWSON)pointed out that the only item now before the Committee was the salary of the private secretary.
MR. T. M. HEALYthought that possibly the private secretary might be the "succentor." [Laughter.] He did not know. He suggested that this Vote should be deferred, and the Vote for the Public Record Office taken instead.
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURacceded to the suggestion.
§ Original Motion, by leave, withdrawn.
§ 6. £880, to complete the sum for Public Record Office, Ireland.—Agreed to.
§ Resolutions to be reported upon Monday next; Committee to sit again upon Monday next.