§ MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERI beg to ask Mr. Attorney-General for Ireland whether his attention has been called to Rule 250 of the proposed Rules of the Supreme Court (Ireland) 1899, now lying upon the Table of the House, referring to the qualification of official assignees for acting as liquidators in the winding-up of public companies; whether he is aware that a similar arrangement to that now proposed was brought forward in 1893, and was abandoned in deference to the strong protests of the Chambers of Commerce of Dublin, Belfast, and Cork, and 708 other representatives of Irish traders; and whether, in view of the fact that the mercantile community in Ireland is still strongly opposed to the contemplated change, he will refuse to sanction the rule in question.
§ THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. ATKINSON,) Londonderry, N.The rules referred to in the first paragraph of the question have not been laid on the Table of the House, nor is it necessary that they should be so laid, at present. They are now draft rules, and were so published in the Dublin Gazette, with a notice under the Rules Publication Act, stating where copies could be obtained, and that representations and suggestions made in writing by any public body interested would be taken into consideration before the rules would be finally settled. I am not aware of the circumstances under which the Bill of 1893 was not proceeded with, but assume, from the terms of the question, it was because of some opposition. I cannot admit that the mercantile community in Ireland is opposed to the rule as now drafted by the rule recommending authority, which includes all the Judges of the High Court in Ireland; but any public body which is now opposed to them can send in objections, which will be duly considered before the final settlement of the rules. I have not the power suggested in the last paragraph of the question, and I have to remind my hon. friend that the Rules in their final shape must be laid before Parliament, and may on Address be annulled.