§ MR. SEXTONasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether it is the fact that Mr. Tuke's 1868 Committee, in conducting the State-aided emigration from Belmullet, have sent away numbers of persons comparatively well-to-do, who took with them considerable sums of ready money, and left unpaid debts due to local traders, and whether the Committee persisted in taking this course, after the facts had been made known to them; whether numbers of other persons, steeped in poverty, who applied to be emigrated, have been left behind, and by what influence it has happened that their claims have been rejected, while the applications of the less poor have been successful; whether it is true that among the persons emigrated by the "Phœnician" on the 27th ult. was a young gentleman, Mr. Richard Bingham, son of Mr. Denis Bingham, J.P. of Bingham Castle, and whether, after the Viceroy, Earl Spencer, had paid a visit to his father, this young gentleman was provided on board the ship with special accommodation, and has obtained his passage gratis; whether thirty-six persons from the Newport Union have been left behind, in consequence of mismanagement by the Committee; and, on complaining, have been threatened with forfeiture of their passage tickets; whether the Government will afford grants of public money in aid of a System so conducted; and, whether inquiry will be made as to the circumstances under which the local relieving officers recommended the persons chosen?
§ MR. TREVELYANSir, I have been favoured with a Memorandum on this subject by Mr. Tuke's Committee. The Committee took every possible precaution to satisfy themselves as to the eligibility of the applicants. It is true that at Belmullet some of the local traders complained that assistance had been promised to certain persons able to defray the cost of emigration; but, on inquiry into these cases, it was found that in no single instance had these persons sufficient means to enable them to pay for the emigration of the whole family. The Committee could not be in any way responsible for the payment of debts of the emigrants. No persons were rejected or refused on account of poverty; but, unfortunately, some of the poorest, by reason of their large and weak families, were so unfitted for emigration that it was impossible for the Committee to undertake the grave responsibility of 1869 sending them to a strange country. With regard to Mr. Richard Bingham, his passage is paid for from private sources; it is in no way State-aided; and the suggestion that Lord Spencer's visit to his father had anything to do with it is wholly without foundation. It is true that 36 persons from Newport Union were left behind on the 27th of April; but this occurred through stress of weather, and through misconduct on the part of the owner of a hooker. They will be embarked to-morrow. Meanwhile, they have been lodged in Belmullet at the expense of Mr. Tuke's Committee. They are not known to have made any complaints; on the contrary, they have expressed themselves as well pleased with their treatment.
§ MR. O'DONNELLThe right hon. Gentleman states that a number of intending emigrants were rejected in consequence of their being very poor and having feeble families. Have any steps been taken for the relief of those intending emigrants so rejected; and are the Government only anxious to promote the emigration of those who are sturdy, and to discourage the emigration of all whose families which will be a burden to the country in which they remain?
§ MR. TREVELYANI do not know anything in the hon. Member's Question which really requires an answer, except for me to repeat that there are, unfortunately, some families so burdened with small children that it would be cruel to emigrate them. There will be no change in the operation of the Poor Law in consequence of the action of Mr. Tuke's Committee.
§ MR. O'KELLYWill the right hon. Gentleman say whether these poor people will be compelled to go into the workhouse, or will they be allowed outdoor relief?
§ [No reply.]
§ MR. O'DONNELLasked if the right hon. Gentleman would inquire whether this refusal to emigrate poor people having families was in consequence of any protest from the United States Government against the wholesale deportation of Irishmen to America? He had seen a statement to this effect in the public Press.
§ MR. TREVELYANsaid, that that was not so. They considered that it would not be proper to emigrate any 1870 person to the United States who had not letters from friends or relatives already settled there.
§ MR. T. P. O'CONNORbegged to repeat the Question put by the hon. Member for Roscommon (Mr. O'Kelly), whether these poor people, who were admittedly unfit for emigration, would be refused outdoor relief?
§ MR. TREVELYANI have already given an answer to that Question.
§ MR. T. P. O'CONNORWhat was it?
§ MR. TREVELYANIn consequence of the operation of Mr. Tuke's Committee, no change will be made in the operation of the Poor Law.
§ Subsequently,
§ MR. T. P. O'CONNOR, observing the noble Lord the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs in his place, wished to ask him, with reference to the statement of the Chief Secretary for Ireland, that only those families were sent abroad from Ireland who had able children, while feeble families were left at home to starve, whether any representation had come from the United States Government as to the character of the emigration to America which was being carried on under the control of the English Government?
§ LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICEsaid, he required Notice of the Question.
MR. MAC IVERasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant, whether it was not the fact that the United States authorities absolutely declined to receive infirm people; and whether, if sent to America, both young and old would not be sent back, and only those able to support themselves allowed to remain?
§ MR. TREVELYANsaid, that a portion of this Question should be addressed to the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. He would be glad to answer any part that came within his province, if the hon. Member would give Notice of the Question.
§ MR. T. P. O'CONNORasked the right hon. Gentleman whether he had not already stated that the only people who were being emigrated from Ireland were those who had families able to support them in America?
§ MR. TREVELYANI spoke of families which had a due proportion of workers and non-workers.