§ MR. J. DALY (Monaghan, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (1) whether he has received copies of resolutions passed by public bodies and 1033 at meetings held in county Monaghan, condemning the Grand Jury of that county for their mismanagement in appointing cess collectors with insufficient security for the collection of the county cess; (2) whether he is aware that it was the duty of the Grand Jury of Monaghan, when appointing barony constables to see that two sureties signed every bond, each having property value the amount of the cess collector's warrant; (3) whether this precaution was taken by the Grand Jury of Monaghan when appointing the defaulting collectors; and, if so, how has the deficiency in the county cess occurred; whether he can state the amount of the deficiency; and, (4) if he will direct the Grand Jury to make good the loss owing to their neglect?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY TO THE LORD-LIEUTENANT OF IRELAND (Mr. GERALD BALFOUR,) Leeds, CentralRepresentations have been received to the effect stated in the first paragraph. The fact is also as stated in the second paragraph, and I am informed that the requirements of the law in this respect were duly observed on the appointment of the defaulting cess collectors. The sale of the farms and chattels of the sureties did not, I am told, realise the value at which they had been estimated. The amount of the deficit to be re-presented for at the next Assizes is £2,613 16s. 6d. I have already explained to the hon. Member that the Executive has no power over the Grand Jury, nor is that body responsible to the Executive for the manner in which it performs its fiscal business.