MR. O'BRIENasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether, in view of the action of the Emigration Commissioners at New York, orders will be given for the discontinuance of the deportation of paupers from Ireland to the United States; and, out of what fund the expenses of re-transmitting the returned emigrants to their respective workhouses will be defrayed?
§ MR. TREVELYANDirections have been given that the emigration of workhouse inmates by State aid shall be suspended in the only two Unions in Ireland in which there are any such proposed emigrants on the lists. I think it would be premature at present to express any opinion on the second part of the Question.
§ MR. LEAMYwas understood to ask if it were a fact that some of the emigrants who went out in the Anchoria were being sent back, and whether the Government would have anyone to look after them on their arrival in Ireland?
MR. JOSEPH COWENasked whether it would not be possible, seeing that these unfortunate persons had got to America, to supply them with sufficient funds to settle there? It would be very hard for them to be brought back again. He wished also to ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he was aware that a number of Swedish and Swiss emigrants had been sent out under similar circumstances, and that when the American Government refused to allow them to land, the Representatives of those countries supplied them with sufficient means? He wished to know if this could not be done in the case of the emigrants referred to in the Question?
§ MR. TREVELYANIt is extremely important, Sir, in dealing with this question, not to speak before we have absolute knowledge; but we have taken very great pains to ascertain how many of the emigrants whose names have been given are State aided emigrants, and we find, so far as we can gather, that they are very few indeed. [Mr. LEAMY: There should not be one.] Likewise, I imagine from the small details we have been able to get it is not a question of whether an emigrant has £1 or £2 or £5 or £10, more or less. My belief is that it is not on that account that they are sent back to this country. They are extremely few in number, and if any possible means could be adopted of meeting the objections of the American Government they, undoubtedly, will be adopted. But I am very much afraid those objections could not be met by a simple contribution of money, however large, from Government funds. When the matter is examined into it will be found, I think, that very few indeed have been sent back.