§ MR. HAZLETONTo ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he will state whether four new temporary assistant surveyors have recently been appointed under the Public Works Office, Ireland, at a cost of £1,000 a year; who were the gentlemen appointed; what were their professional qualifications; what was the reason of their appointment; and how long it is proposed to retain them in the service of the Office of Works.
(Answered by Mr. Hobhouse.) I am informed that the answer to the first part of the Question is in the negative, only one such appointment having so far bean made. The person appointed is Mr. C. H. Mitchell, of Dublin, a qualified architect. The appointment was made in order to cops with additional work 726 entailed by the new scheme of building grants for national schools, and to ensure, that school managers should be enabled to obtain grants and commence building operations as soon as possible, the architectural work necessary for this purpose being much beyond the powers of the Board's permanent staff of surveyors. Mr. Mitchell's services will be retained while the necessity for them lasts; and, if it be found necessary, further temporary appointments will be made.