§ CAPTAIN CRAIG (Down, E.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that the criers of certain county courts in Ireland are in the habit of levying fees from suitors in respect of the grant and transfers of licences, decrees in equity cases, remitted and jury cases, and other proceedings; will he say whether the salary of county court criers is so small as barely to defray their travelling expenses; whether he will take any steps with a view to putting an immediate stop to the exactions above referred to; and whether he will consider the advisability of providing more adequate salaries for the criers.
MR. BRYCEI have no information to the effect stated in the first part of the Question. If any illegal exactions are made, as alleged, the matter would appear to be one for the county court judge to deal with. The salaries of the 998 criers, which are fixed by statute, are intended to remunerate them for their services and expenses. It is the duty of county councils to pay these salaries, but beyond this, neither the council nor the Local Government Board have any jurisdiction in the matter. I am not aware that the salaries are inadequate.