§ MR. PATRICK WHITE (Meath, N.)To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether towards the end of last year a pay-sergeant in the D Division of the Dublin Metropolitan Police absconded with a considerable sum of public money; if a staff-sergeant in the same division also absconded, owing large sums to various traders for goods supplied to the mess; whether any inquiry was held, and with what result, as to the responsibility of Superintendent Dunne for the conduct of the sergeants, both of whom were under his control; if the superintendent was called upon to make good a portion of the money, and how much; and whether, in the event of the Government forcing on the people of Dublin the proposed Commission of Inquiry, he will enlarge its scope so as to make it possible to have the administration of the D Division, by Superintendent Dunne thoroughly investigated.
(Answered by Mr. Birrell.) A pay sergeant of the D Division of the Dublin police absconded last year with about £100 of public money. A staff-sergeant of the same division also absconded, but the Chief Commissioner is not aware of any outstanding liabilities for goods supplied to the mess. Superintendent Dunne, who is in charge of the finances of the division, provisionally made good the deficit. The matter was subsequently investigated by the Chief Commissioner, upon whose recommendation the Treasury relieved the superintendent from liability for the loss due to the fraud of his subordinate. I am not aware of any necessity for further investigating the matter.