§ MR. BARRIE (Londonderry, N.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, as President of the Local Government Board, on what date the sum of £150,000 was transferred from the Petty Sessions Clerks Fund (Ireland) to the credit of the Labourers (Ireland) Act, and how and at what rate of interest has it been invested; has the sum of £70,000 from the Irish Development Grant also been transferred and similarly been invested; whether it is proposed to replace the annual sum of £9,000 intended to be provided last session by the abolition of two Judgeships of the High Court (Ireland) and the reduction of the Irish Lord Chancellor's salary; and whether the contributions of £6,000 per annum from the residue of the Exchequer Grant under the Purchase of Land Act, 1891, have been duly made for 1906 and 1907.
§ MR. BIRRELLThe sum of £150,000 was transferred, in the shape of investments, from Petty Sessions Clerks Fund to the Labourers Cottage Fund on various dates in November and December last. The investments consist of four per cent. Railway Debenture Stock amounting to £118,000 and Consols amounting to £31,000. The £70,000 from the Irish Development Grant has not yet been transferred, but steps to that end are now being taken. In reply to the third paragraph of the Question, I would refer the hon. Member to the Judicature (Ireland) Bill now before Parliament. The contribution of £6,000 for the year 1906–7 has been paid over to the Local Government Board.