§ Mr. LONSDALEalso asked the Chief Secretary whether it was under his instructions that the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture refused to supply the Irish Agricultural Organisation Society with information as to the names of the credit societies from which repayment of loans was recovered by legal process; whether he will state the nature of the proceedings taken in each case and the amounts respectively sued for and recovered; and whether, seeing that these societies have been organised by the Irish Agricultural Organisation Society, he will, as President of the Department, supply the secretary of the society with the information he desires?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe answer to the first part of the question is in the negative, but I may say that the action taken by the Vice-President has my concurrence. The proceedings taken consisted of the service of writs upon certain guarantors in one or two cases. In the remaining cases the amounts were paid on the demand of the Chief Crown Solicitor, in whose hands the proceedings against the defaulting banks had been placed. In twelve out of the fifteen cases of default the question of taking proceedings was, in pursuance of the then existing practice, referred, in the first instance, to the Irish Agricultural Organisation Society, which investigated each of the cases and advised that proceedings for recovery should be taken. I see no reason, therefore, why the Organisation Society should be furnished with the names of the defaulting credit societies as to which they already possess information. As regards the three remaining cases, the Vice-President is of opinion that any publicity might involve certain persons in difficulty, and would be of no public advantage, and I concur in this view.
§ Mr. LONSDALEIs it within the recollection of the right hon. Gentleman that he stated in this House as recently as last week that he saw no reason why the information asked for in this question should not be furnished?
§ Mr. BIRRELLYes, I am aware of that. I inquired into the matter, and the reason given me is a personal one affecting the credit of one or two individuals, and I see no reason why they should suffer.