WHY NOT POPULARISE CONSOLS? [To THE EDITOR or THE SP
EOTATOR."1 SIR,-With regard to the letter in your issue of the 17th inst. headed "Why Not Popularise Consols ? " it may be of interest to some of your readers to know that our Dublin Chamber of Commerce had this subject brought before them by the writer at a special meeting held in March last. I enclose a copy of my address, which dealt more particularly with the mode of issue and transfer of Irish land stock. Since this meeting our Council have been pressing the subject on the attention
of the Government. On the 12th inst. I received a letter from the secretary of the Chamber saying he had received a letter from Mr. C. Hobhouse (Financial Secretary to the Treasury) stating:—
" The suggestion that Irish Land Stock should be made more accessible to small investors has not been lost sight of, but is being carefully considered by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with a view to its adoption if a practical method of ensuring the result aimed at can be found. The question is not confined to Irish Land Stook, but includes the various Stocks forming the National Debt generally ; and it is not therefore possible to deal with it in connection with the Irish Land Bill now before Parlia- ment as suggested in the Resolution of the Dublin Chamber of Commerce."
I hope, Sir, you will do what you can to keep this important subject before the minds of the " thoughtful " public.—I am,
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