asked the Minister for Lands and Fisheries whether he will state why credit has not yet been given to Martin Lyons, Rahan, Curra, Tynagh, Co. Galway, for £10 10s. 1d., rent paid through the local post office in 1923, in the presence of two witnesses, and whether the Minister is aware that Martin Lyons' stock was subsequently seized for payment of the said rent.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - CO. GALWAY RENT PAYMENTS.
asked the Minister for Lands and Fisheries whether he will state why credit has not yet been given to Catherine Donlan, Spring Garden, Tynagh, Co. Galway, for rent paid in January, 1923, through a local post office (the money order being No. 40 on block), and whether the Minister is aware that the money was paid in the presence of two witnesses, and whether he is further aware that Mrs. Donlan's stock was seized on August 8th, 1923, for the rent paid in preceding January.
I am not aware that payments were made by Catherine Donlan and Martin Lyons through the local post office of sums subsequently recovered by the sheriff in respect of Land Purchase Annuities. If evidence of such payments is furnished to the Land Commission, it will be fully considered.
According to my information, a clergyman, a county councillor and three other local persons of repute and standing, made representations as far back as four years ago, and in one case an assurance was got that the matter would be investigated. Nothing has been done since. The clergyman says he saw the number of the money order—40—in some of the papers left behind in the post office by the postmaster who decamped with a considerable amount of money. In some cases, allowance was made in the case of people who did prove that they had paid the rents and that this postal official had decamped with the money, but in these two cases nothing has been done.
The Deputy is perfectly right in saying that the trouble originated with the embezzlement of certain sums of money by a postmaster who subsequently absconded. A very full investigation was made by the post office authorities at the time and as a result of that investigation certain sums were paid out of the Parliamentary Vote to the Land Purchase Fund. As far as I can ascertain, the case of Mrs. Donlan was investigated and the post office official at the time must not have been satisfied. It seems extraordinary that the first written application for refund of this money was received on the 10th May of this year. She states that she was at the loss of £5 15s. 7d. The half-yearly amount is £8 16s. 10d., and I cannot, for the life of me, understand how the £5 15s. 7d. is made up. If both Mrs. Donlan and Mr. Lyons submit further evidence to the Land Commission, the case will be further considered.