§ MR. TULLYI beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether he can state on what grounds the Treasury have refused to recommend to the South Dublin Union a loan of £7,500 for building the Roman Catholic chapel and officers' quarters in the lunatic department; and whether, in view of the solvency of the Union and the fact that the poor rates are 1s. 7d. in the pound, as compared with 1s. 9d. in the previous year, he will take steps to have this loan issued without further delay.
§ MR. HAYES FISHERThe Local Government Board sanctioned this loan, repayable in forty years. But in so doing, it was pointed out that in view of the high rates prevailing, which amount to 9s. 3d. in the pound in this area, the Treasury felt unable to authorise the issue of the loan by the Commissioners of Public Works until some reduction in the rates had been effected. It would be necessary, therefore, to obtain the loan from a bank or by tender in the open market.
† See (4) Debates, xciii., 956.