§ Mr. T. W. RUSSELLI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether the proposal embodied in the Development Grant Bill, now before the House, by which the sum of—150,000, now lying to the credit of the Fines and Fees Fund in Ireland, is to be used for other purposes, will not necessitate a demand upon the ratepayers and make good at least a part of this sum to the Petty Sessions Clerks' Fund.
§ Mr. WYNDHAMThe sum of £150,000 forms part of the moneys standing to the credit of the Fines and Fees Fund. These moneys are invested in stock to the inscribed value of £170,258. The withdrawal of the sum of £150,000 will not necessitate any demand upon the ratepayers. The proposed allocation will only affect the revenue of the Department to the extent of the withdrawal of the dividends payable on the stock, but this withdrawal will be made good by increasing the amount transferred annually to revenue from the proceeds of the duty on dog licences, and there will still remain a substantial sum available for distribution among local authorities. The local authorities will, it is calculated, receive about £12,000 a year in relief of rates instead of £17,000, as previously, the difference representing a loss to local rates of only one-eleventh of Id. But they may not even lose this, as steps have been taken to enforce the Dogs Act throughout the country with greater rigour, which will result in corresponding benefit to the revenue of the Department. With respect to the balance 491 of the invested funds, which it is not proposed to divert, I am considering the question of introducing legislation securing the balance for the purposes of the superannuation and retiring allowances of the registrar of the Department and his staff.