§ 3. "That a sum not exceeding £7,290 be granted to His Majesty, to complete the sum necessary to defray the Charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1907, for the Salaries and Expenses of the Department of His Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council."
§ 4. "That a sum not exceeding £25,243 be granted to His Majesty, to complete the sum necessary to defray the Charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1907, for the Salaries and Expenses of the Civil Service Commission."
§ Resolutions agreed to.
§ 5. "That a sum not exceeding £39,699 be granted to His Majesty, to complete 1502 the sum necessary to defray the Charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1907, for the Salaries and Expenses of the Department of the Comptroller and Auditor General."
§ Resolution read a second time.
§ Motion made, and Question proposed, "That this House doth agree with the Committee in the said Resolution."
§ MR. FELL (Great Yarmouth)complained of the speed at which the Votes were being rushed through, and said the House was entitled to some explanation of the increase of £494 for travelling expenses in the Department.
§ MR. T. L. CORBETT (Down, N.)pressed for an answer to the appeal of his hon. friend.
§ Question put, and agreed to.
§ " 6. That a sum not exceeding £5,589. be granted to His Majesty, to complete the sum necessary to defray the Charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1907, for the Salaries and Expenses of the Registry of Friendly Societies.
§ 7. "That a sum, not exceeding £65, be granted to His Majesty, to complete a sum necessary to defray the Charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1907, for the Salaries and Expenses of the Mint, including the Expenses of Coinage."
§ 8. "That a sum, not exceeding £7,348 be granted to His Majesty, to complete the sum necessary to defray the Charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1907, for the Salaries and Expenses of the National Debt Office."
§ 9. "That a sum, not exceeding £14,430, be granted to His Majesty, to complete the sum necessary to defray the Charge which will come in course of payment 1503 during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1907, for the Salaries and Expenses of the Public Record Office, and of the Office of Land Revenue Records and Inrolments."
§ Resolution agreed to.
§ 10. "That a sum, not exceeding £1,000, be granted to His Majesty, to complete the sum necessary to defray the Charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1907, for the Salaries and Expenses of the Establishment under the Public Works Loan Commissioners."
§ Resolution read a second time.
§ Motion made, and Question proposed, "That this House doth agree with the Committee in the said Resolution."
§ MR. WILLIAM RUTHERFORDsaid the expenses and salaries of legal officers of this Department could very well be saved, as there did not appear to be any reason why a legal branch was required to be attached to the Department. He thought that the major portion of the special expenses in this Vote could easily be saved. There was now in power pledged to economy a Government which had not hesitated to charge the late Administration with extravagance, and here was a chance for them to carry out their pledges. If this Vote could not be withdrawn next year, he hoped the House would have some assurance that the Government would take this matter into their earnest consideration, and bring up the Vote next year in an altogether different form.
§ MR. JOYCE (Limerick)asked how far the Government intended going with the business during this sitting. Very large sums of money had already been passed without a word of discussion.
§ MR. MCKENNAsaid he was not in a position to answer that question with any authority, but he was under the impression that after Supply had been disposed of there could be no other business taken.
§ MR. O'MARA (Kilkenny, S.)Can the hon. Member give us a pledge that the Irish Education (Afflicted Children) Bill will not be taken?
§ Mr. MCKENNAYes, I can give that pledge.
§ MR. FLAVIN (Kerry, N.)Can the hon. Member go on and finish the business to-night, and then adjourn for the holidays?
§ MR. MCKENNAsaid he could not do it. In reply to the hon. Member for West Derby he wished to point out that the Public Loans Commissioners were a statutory body, and what the hon. Member had suggested could only be done by an Act of Parliament. The officers whom the Public Loans Commissioners appointed were appointed by statute and exercised statutory powers, and the Treasury and their predecessors were quite satisfied with the work they were doing.
§ Question put, and agreed to: