HC Deb 18 June 1888 vol 327 cc433-4
COLONEL NOLAN (Galway, N.)

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, If it is true that in five Unions of Ireland a considerable debt has been incurred to contractors for food supplied for purposes of relief under the belief that it would be met by the provisions of the Relief Act passed by the present Government; and, if the Government will find money to settle such of these debts as are owed for goods bonâ fide supplied, or if they will introduce a measure which will enable these five Unions to borrow money to pay the contractors; and, if not, will they suggest any course by which these contractors can recover the money of which they are actually out of pocket?

THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR) (Manchester, E.)

It is the case that the Guardians of five of the Unions scheduled under the Poor Relief Act, 1886, incurred large debts to contractors who supplied food for the purposes of exceptional out-door relief. The Guardians had no grounds for believing that this debt would be mot by Government; and they were warned by the Local Government Board of the consequence of extravagant expenditure. As regards the concluding portion of the Question, I beg to refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave a few days ago in regard to the Swinford Union.

COLONEL NOLAN

What was that?

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

I certainly do not propose to pay the debts of these Unions.

COLONEL NOLAN

But will you allow legislation by a private Member for the purpose? [No reply.]