§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILL (Donegal, S.)To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that Mr. Cullen, the legal personal representative of Madame de l'Herault, who in 1879 paid to the Crown a sum of £4,594, a moiety of the personal estate of her husband, who died intestate and without ascertained next of kin, through her solicitor applied, with the consent of the Lord - Lieutenant, for a copy of the account of the estate since the fund was handed over to the Treasury, and that in the account furnished certain sums were left out and numerous details in receipts and payments were omitted, the account furnished being in 1883, although the fund was paid over in 1879; and whether, having regard to the fact that the sum originally handed over to the Crown, £4,594, in the year 1879 amounted in 1897 only to the sum of £5,689, India 3½ per cent. stock and £380 cash, and that the application of the solicitor for Mr. Cullen to be furnished with a copy of the account as it stands in the books has been refused, the Lord-Lieutenant will, in order to facilitate the further consideration of this case by the Attorney-General, direct that an account may be furnished of this estate, showing the disposal and disbursement of the fund, and the charges for inquiries, expenses, and costs of opposing the only claimant, and explaining the reason of the small increase of the original sum after the lapse of twenty-five years.
(Answered by Mr. Wyndham) I have referred the further matters mentioned in this Question to the Attorney-General for consideration.