§ MR. DOOGAN (Tyrone, E.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if he is aware that under the will of Charles Shiels, dated 14th February, 1846, the Committee of Management of each set of his endowed houses throughout Ireland should consist of five local managers only, namely, the Protestant incumbent, the Roman Catholic clergyman of the parish, the Presbyterian minister, the nearest magistrate resident in the locality, and the parish churchwarden; can he explain why the wishes of the benefactor have been departed from, and why the local managers of the Dungannon branch of the charity consist now of thirteen members, of whom one only is a Roman Catholic; can he state how many of the thirty-three inmates in the Dungannon block of twenty-five houses, had resided in or within three miles from the town during at least five years preceding the date of admission; how many are paying annual or weekly stipends, and how many are imbecile, crippled, or blind; and also whether any residue of the charitable funds, and if so, how much, is distributed by the local managers, in accordance with the testator's directions, amongst persons of sober and industrious habits, residing in or near Dungannon, as may be destitute of means of support, or in need of a little assistance, to enable them to pursue their trade or calling with advantage.
§ MR. ATKINSONI am informed that the facts are as stated in the first paragraph. The Governors of the Charity have, under their Trust Act of 1864, absolute discretion to alter or dispense with any of the directions in the testator's will, as to the management of the almshouses. None of the inmates at Dungannon contribute to their support, and the funds of the Charity are expended solely in connection with their 883 support and maintenance. I have no information on the other matters mentioned.