[63] “I am certain,” said a reverend witness, “that he was a very correct man until the temptation of such an enormous quantity and overflow of money got into his hands.”—Report (36).
[64] One of the questions asked, by the Chairman of the Committee just quoted from, of Mr. Fox, curate of St. Peter's, Dublin, was (32): “Do I understand you to say, that Mr. Lannigan communicated his suspicions regarding Mr. Dunn to the Board of Trustees?” “Yes,” answered the reverend gentleman, “and we used to have extremely warm contests there on that account, because he was not a man very capable of explaining his meaning.”
[65] The whole of Dunn's defalcations, which were found ultimately to amount to about 40,000l. were not found out till this year.
[66] Great attempts were made to show, at this time, that the Government had grievously neglected its duties, and that the Arbitrator exceeded his. From the anomalous and unsatisfactory state of the law, which occasionally placed the Commissioners and the Certifying Barrister in embarrassing positions, a colour was often lent to these allegations. It is very clear that flagrant mistakes were palmed upon the National Debt Office, and never found out, and not less certain that, at this early period, Mr. Pratt was often hampered by uncertain and incomplete powers.
[67] Dr. Hancock, in a pamphlet entitled, Duties of the Public with respect to Charitable Savings Banks. Dublin, 1856.
[68] About sixteen millions sterling.
CHAPTER V.
LEGISLATION ON SAVINGS BANKS FROM 1844 TO THE PRESENT TIME.
“If there is any question why such importance should be ascribed to measures of a purely economic character, the reply is, that these minor matters insensibly build up the character of the nation; insignificant, it may be in themselves, they mark, in the aggregate, the well-being or the suffering of the British people.”—British Quarterly Review.