§ MR. SEXTONasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether his attention has been called to reports in the public journals of wide spread distress and imminent danger of famine in the West of Ireland, arising from the extraordinary pressure of poor rate and seed rate, the wide spread failure of the potato crop, and the disastrous effect of recent storms on the harvest; whether he has noted the condition of things on Tory Island, nine miles from the mainland, where the bulk of the inhabitants are already deprived of every means of subsistence; whether the Government are sensible of the necessity of taking immediate steps for prevention of death by hunger; and, what measures, by way of reproductive works or otherwise, they propose to institute for that purpose?
§ MR. TREVELYANSir, with regard to the first portion of the Question of the hon. Member, I have been in communication with the Local Government Board, and I am told that there is no reason to apprehend that there is widespread distress and imminent danger of famine in the West. With regard to the remainder of the Question, the attention of the Government has been directed to the statement respecting the condition of things in Tory Island. One of the Inspectors of the Local Government Board has been instructed to proceed at once to the Union to which it belongs and make immediate inquiries and report upon the subject. The Admiralty has placed a gun-boat at the disposal of the Government, and should there be any difficulty experienced in transporting provisions to the island, the gun-boat will be used for the purpose.