44. Mr. HUTCHISONasked the Minister of Health how many applications he has received from local authorities since October for sanction for loans for public purposes; how many of these have been granted and how many refused; and how many public libraries figure in either of the two latter categories?
Sir H. YOUNGI regret that without Iong special investigation I cannot state the number of applications received. 2,500 applications for loans have, however, been sanctioned since 1st October, and of these eight were for libraries and one for a site for a library, but in most cases application was received and commitments entered into before the issue of the circular letter as to economy in local expenditure.