§ 2. £1,243, to complete the sum for Charitable Donations and Bequests Office, Ireland.—Agreed to.
§ Resolutions to be reported.
§
Motion made, and Question proposed,
That a sum, not exceeding £3,880, 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 Public Record Office in Ireland, and of the Keeper of State Papers in Dublin.
§ MR. FLYNNsaid he wished to know whether any steps had been taken in latter years with regard to the publication of State papers and public documents? There had been an interruption in the issue of State papers which were of direct importance to Ireland. They had no papers dealing with Ireland for a long time, and it was natural that they should be very keen and on the-alert. They could not get hold of these State papers unless they watched.
*THE CHAIRMAN OF WAYS AND MEANSsaid this was a matter which should be dealt with, on the Vote of the Historical Manuscripts Commission. They were responsible for the issue of documents.
§ DR. TANNERsaid that that Commission dealt with England and Wales as well as Ireland, but somehow the documents were not allowed to circulate outside a certain set. Only high and dry particulars had been furnished to them, during the last Session of Parliament. He could make neither head nor tail of a return from the Record Office. He could only say now what he had heard his hon. Friend Mr. Sexton, who was then Member for West Belfast, say in connection with a similar return, that it was "bald, miserable, and discreditable." Could something not be done to make these returns interesting instead of bald returns? As to the Record Office in Ireland, that meant Dublin, for practically all the work was done in Dublin, and it was circulated for the benefit of certain persons. There was always in connection with certain officials an increase of "salaries, wages, and allowances." In connection with this small office they had an increase of £314, whereas in other years they had a falling off. It had increased since the Chief Secretary was there. The increase was not in connection with smaller affairs, but in connection with the greater men.
*THE CHAIRMAN OF WAYS AND MEANSI must ask the hon. Member to confine himself to the Vote. At present he is not doing so.
§ DR. TANNERsaid if the increase in salaries was given to the poorer men, he should not object so much, but the increase was given to men who really did not want it, instead of to the poor men who did require it. For incidental expenses nothing could be said. [Laughter.] Instead of laughing, he hoped hon. Gentlemen would join him and others in keeping down expenditure. In any case, when expenditure was incurred he thought it should go rather to the poor than to the rich.
§ MR. P. A. M'HUGH (Leitrim, N.)trusted they would receive from the Chief Secretary, or some other responsible Minister, an explanation of the services 1107 on which this money was spent, otherwise it would be the duty of Irish Members to resist the Vote, or to move its reduction.
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURsaid that hitherto the Vote had never been the subject of discussion, it had always been regarded as a matter of course. Details were given on page 193 of the Estimates. The greater part of the increased expenditure arose from the automatic increase in the salaries of eight clerks employed in the Department.
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURI will give further details on Report.
§ MR. KILBRIDEsaid he found they were asked to vote the salaries of six workmen who were described as searchers. What the men had to do as searchers he was at a loss to understand. The men received £1 a week each. What could they have to do as searchers in a Record Office?
And, it being midnight, the Chairman left the Chair to make his Report to the House.
Resolutions to be reported upon Monday next; Committee also report progress; to sit again upon Monday next.