§ Mr. BRADYasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland who were the Commissioners of Charitable Donations and Bequests in Ireland who recently submitted their resignations to the Government, and which of these Commissioners persisted in resigning in spite of his request to them to retain their office; when these resignations took effect; if they were announced in the "Gazette"; if the vacant posts have yet been filled; if those resigning stated that in so doing they were protesting 2527W against an unqualified Treasury refusal to give effect to a carefully considered, reasoned, unanimous, and reiterated opinion of the Board; if he will state whether it is proposed to persist in the reduction by small amounts of the salaries of officials with important, responsible, and constantly increasing duties in face of the fact that this reduction has resulted in the loss of the unpaid public services of Commissioners of such long standing and repute as those Privy Councillors, judges, and prominent commercial and professional men who have lately resigned their office?
§ Mr. SHORTTThe following members of the Board submitted their resignations to the Government—namely, the Right Hon. Mr. Justice Ross, the Right Hon. Mr. Justice Pim, the Right Hon. Mr. Justice Dodd, the Right Hon. Laurence Waldron, Mr. Denis Henry, K.C., M.P., Mr. Frederick Pilkington, D.L., and Mr. Henry P. Goodbody. I pressed all of them to reconsider the matter, and the following have kindly withdrawn their resignations—namely, Mr. Justice Dodd, Mr. Henry, and Mr. Pilkington. The resignations will be announced in the Dublin "Gazette" as soon as their successors have been appointed. The reason for the resignation of these gentlemen is that stated in the question. I deeply regret the resignations, and the Government is greatly indebted to those gentlemen for the valuable services rendered by them.