§ SIR T. ESMONDEOn behalf of the hon. Member for Cork, I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will explain why the Board of Trade refused to grant a sworn inquiry into the case of John J. Ahern, late freeholder and clerk at the Board of Trade Office, Cork, recently dismissed on a charge of insubordination on unsworn testimony; whether certain counter-charges made by Ahern were forwarded to the Board or investigated; and whether an inquiry on oath will now be granted into the 1460 charges made against Ahern and the counter-charges made by him?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (Mr. RITCHIE,) CroydonThe officer referred to in the Question was a "tapeholder" employed by the week. As the result of an inquiry by the Board of Trade Principal Officer in Ireland, his conduct was found to have been seriously unsatisfactory, and it was decided to dispense with his services on a week's notice, in accordance with the terms of his employment. The countercharges made by Ahern were also investigated, but, with one exception of an unimportant nature, they called for no action on the part of the Department. I do not propose to direct any further inquiry to be held in the matter.