§ Mr. GINNELLasked the President of the Board of Trade if he will say by what auditor, if any, the balance sheet, accounts, and vouchers of the Guardian Bank for the half-year ending 31st December, 1911, have 1357 been certified; on what security an advance was made by that bank to one of its own officers; whether the bank has any other office but that in Dawson Street, Dublin; for how long in 1910 a person named Tripp was a director of that bank; what property Tripp held in the bank; when he acquired that property; when he ceased to hold it; what the present available capital of the bank is; and how much of it is really owned by the present directors?
Mr. ROBERTSONThe accounts of the Guardian Bank, Limited, are made up annually to the 30th June in each year, and the balance-sheet showing the position at 30th June, 1911, was audited by Messrs. Stokes Brothers and Pim. I have no information as to the security for any advance which may have been made by the bank. I understand that the bank has an office at Belfast in addition to that in Dawson Street, Dublin. Mr. H. J. S. Tripp was a director of the company from October, 1910, until May, 1911. The returns filed with the Registrar show that 242 shares were allotted to Mr. Tripp between 11th May, 1910, and 8th June, 1910, that sixty shares were allotted to him between 24th August, 1910, and 13th September, 1910, and that those 302 shares were still held by him on 14th August, 1911, the date to which the last annual return of the company is made up. That return shows that on 14th August, 1911, 13,297 shares of £1 each had been issued, that 10s. had been called up on each share, and that 7,900 shares were held by the directors. I am informed that at the present time 13,395 shares have been issued, and that 8,100 shares are held by the present directors.