§ MR. FETHERSTONHAUGH (Fermanagh, N.)To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, whether he is aware that the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies in Ireland, having had the original deed of assignment of premises in Belfast from Messrs. F. A. and G. A. Brittain to the Monarch Laundry Company, Limited, lodged with him by mistake for a copy, refuses to give up the original deed, or allow a copy to be substituted, though there appears to be no statutory requirement that he should have either deed or copy; will he state why the deed is retained by the Registrar, and whether there is any reason why it should not be returned to the company.
(Answered by Mr. Kearley.) On behalf of the Board of Trade, I will answer this Question addressed to my right hon. friend, the Chief Secretary. The Board of Trade have made inquiries, and the facts appear to be as follows: A deed was filed in the ordinary course by the Monarch Laundry Company, Limited, at the Joint Stock Companies Registry in Dublin. Subsequently an application was made for permission to remove the deed and to substitute a copy. The Board of Trade were advised that they ought not to authorise the removal of an original document from the file without an order of a competent Court, and the applicants were so informed.