HC Deb 31 July 1906 vol 162 cc685-6
MR. FIELD (Dublin, St. Patrick)

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he will state, for the financial year 1905–6, the.amount of car fares and subsistence allowances specially charged by resident magistrates in Ireland for special conferences with district inspectors of police regarding cases in which the latter are prosecuting on behalf of the Crown and the former adjudicating thereon; and what steps he proposes to take in this.matter.

(Answered by Mr. Bryce.) The resident magistrates' accounts for the year 1905–6 are at present at the Audit Office for examination. I am, however, informed that practically no expense is incurred by resident magistrates upon conferences with district inspectors. In the few Cases, if any, in which such conferences † See Col. 413. may occur, the usual course would be for the district inspector to wait on the resident magistrate and not vice versa.

MR. FIELD

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he will state the amount of subsistence allowance for 1905–6 charged while at Bangor by the resident magistrate of Portadown; and, seeing that many of the places at which this resident magistrate presided, while staying at Bangor, were as easy of access from Portadown as from Bangor, whether he will give instructions that in future subsistence allowance is to be disallowed in such cases and in all similar cases throughout Ireland.

(Answered by Mr. Bryce.) As the resident magistrates' accounts for the year 1905–6 are at present at the Audit Office for audit I am unable to give the information asked for in the first part of the Question. The hon. Member may, however, rely upon the fact that these accounts are closely scrutinised, not only by the Financial Department of the Chief Secretary's Office, but also by the Controller and Auditor-General.