§ MR. MOORETo ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if the chairman or other members of the Commission recently appointed to inquire into certain responsibilities of Sir Arthur 371 Vicars, Ulster King at Arms, were informed before their inquiry commenced that the Lord-Lieutenant had offered the reversion of Sir Arthur Vicars' office to two persons.
(Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The facts are as follows. Towards the end of last October it was decided, with the approval of the Crown, that the Office of Arms at Dublin must be reconstituted. This involved the retirement of the principal members of the staff, who were officially notified accordingly, but Sir Arthur Vicars declined to resign his office. The Lord-Lieutenant was anxious to give ample time, and the matter was allowed to stand over until the beginning of December, when Sir Arthur Vicars was officially informed that his tenure of office would be brought to an end without further delay. It was only then that the Lord-Lieutenant caused certain persons to be asked if they would be prepared to accept the position of Ulster King at Arms if it were offered to them. The reply in each case was in the negative, but the reasons given had no reference to Sir Arthur Vicars. At this time the Commission of Inquiry, which was subsequently appointed in consequence of a petition from the Knights of the Order of Saint Patrick, had not been contemplated. As soon as the Commission was decided upon, and during its proceedings, no further steps were taken regarding the position of Ulster. The Commission reported on the 25th January, and the appointment of a successor to Sir Arthur Vicars will be gazetted at once. The fact that, before the Commission was formed, persons were approached regarding the appointment of Ulster King at Arms was not mentioned to the chairman or other members of the Commission. That circumstance had no connection with the object and scope of the inquiry.