§ MR. MACARTNEY (Antrim, S.)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether the Guardians of the Macroom District have recently commenced to build a cottage, under the Labourers' Acts (Ireland), on a farm at Glownaglough, near Coachford, County Cork, formerly occupied by Denis Gleeson; whether, in order to recover the land, Denis Gleeson's landlord forgave £200 of arrears, paid a debt of £17, and gave Gleeson £32 10s., as well as his stock, to enable him to emigrate to America; whether, after Gleeson's return, he was supported by the local branch of the National League in a "Land League hut;" whether frequent outrages have taken place, in consequence of which the landlord has been unable to let the farm, and two policemen have been engaged on protection duty on it; whether, in December, 1887, Denis Gleeson was sentenced to 25 years' penal servitude for manslaughter of a man named Hayes; whether Mrs. Gleeson has been bound over several times to keep the peace at the Court at Coachford; whether she is the proposed occupant of the cottage now being erected; and, whether, since she has no children old enough to do agricultural work, and considering the agitation and disturbance caused by her presence, the Local Government Board in Ireland will take steps to secure the ratepayers from a misuse of the machinery of the Labourers' Acts?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR) (Manchester, E.)The facts are all as stated by my hon. Friend. In my opinion, those facts show a gross abuse of the powers given under the Labourers' Act; and I greatly regret the Government have no power to interfere.
§ DR. TANNER (Cork Co., Mid)Is he still in prison.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURAs he was sentenced in 1887 to 25 years' penal servitude, I should think he is.
§ DR. TANNERIs it not a fact that the Gleesons' rent was nearly double the valuation; that he spent a considerable sum of money in improving his land; and that, in spite of these facts, he was driven cruelly from his farm and thrown on the roadside?
§ MR. CHANCE (Kilkenny, S.)inquired, whether there had been any abuse by Local Authorities of the powers under the Act in which there was not an appeal to the Privy Council?
§ MR. MAURICE HEALY (Cork)And was not the building of this cottage actually approved by the Local Government Board Inspector?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURYes; but the question is not as to the building of the cottage, but as to the use which was made of it afterwards.
§ MR. MAURICE HEALYIt has not been built yet.