§ MR. O'DOHERTYTo ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if he will state by whom are shorthand writers employed at Local Government Board inquiries, what remuneration is paid to shorthand 166 writers thus employed, and the total amount of remuneration paid to shorthand writers in Ireland for the year 1902.
§ MR. O'DOHERTYTo ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been called to the statement made by Dr. Smith, Local Government Board Inspector, at the inquiry held last week, that he had no power or authority to employ a shorthand writer to take a note of the proceedings of said inquiry; and whether, seeing that inspectors have employed shorthand writers at similar inquiries, can he give any explanation for the statement made by Dr. Smith.
(Answered by Mr. Wyndham.) There is no authority for the employment of, and no provision for remunerating, shorthand writers at inquiries held under the Poor Law Acts. The statement made by Dr. Smith was, therefore, according to the fact. The depositions at such an inquiry are invariably taken by the inspector conducting it. In the case of other inquiries, however, such as those held under the Public Health Acts, the Labourers' Acts, the Housing of the Working Classes Acts, the inspector holding the inquiry may employ a shorthand writer, the expense of whose employment is recoverable from the local authority. Shorthand writers employed at inquiries of this class are remunerated in accordance with a prescribed scale, namely, two guineas for each day's attendance exceeding three hours daily, and one guinea where the attendance is less than three hours a day. The transcription of the shorthand notes is also paid for at the rate of 6d. per folio of seventy-two words. The total amount paid to shorthand writers, including allowances for travelling and subsistence, in the year ended 31st December, 1902, was £2,160 9s. 8d.