HC Deb 24 February 1890 vol 341 cc1004-7
DR. TANNER

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if the Local Government Board have at length consented to give the grant due to the Cork Union for labourers' cottages; and how long and for what period the grant in question has been left unpaid to the Board?

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

The late Board of Guardians of the Cork Union had already received out of the sanctioned loan a sum in excess of the amount re- quired for the houses proceeded with. Their application of November 28 for a further instalment could not, therefore, be considered without further information, which the Local Government Board applied to them for on December 11, but this information was not furnished by the Guardians. The Local Government Board are now in communication with the Vice Guardians on the subject.

DR. TANNER

For how long a period has the grant in question been left unpaid to the Board, and what is the sum due?

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

The grant was applied for on the 28th of November, but the amount was not part of the hon. Member's question.

DR. TANNER

As the answer of the right hon. Gentleman is most unsatisfactory I will put the question down again for to-morrow, and from day to day until I get an answer.

MR. FLYNN (Cork, N.)

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if he has seen a Report of the meeting of the Cork Dispensary Committee on the 18th instant, at which complaint was made of the action of the recently appointed Vice Guardians in stopping of outdoor relief grant of 4s. per week from a man named James Madden, who has recently lost his sight and has a wife and family dependent upon him; whether he is aware that a large number of complaints of a similar character in connection with the stoppage of outdoor relief have been made in the Cork Union District; and if he will direct the Local Government Board to institute inquiry into the matter of these repeated complaints?

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

I trust that the hon. Member for Mid Cork (Dr. Tanner) will take this as an answer also to his Question No. 24.

DR. TANNER

I am afraid that I cannot do so, especially in reference to the fourth paragraph of my question, in which I ask what economy would be effected by the action of the Vice Guardians. What I desire to know is whether a remonstrance has reached the right hon. Gentleman with regard to the treatment of the poor old blind man by the recently appointed Vice Guardians to the Cork Union; whether it is true that for some considerable time past Madden has been in receipt of 4s. weekly out- door relief, which helped him and his wife and six children to keep out of the workhouse; whether the Vice-Guardians have recently made the following order respecting him in the relief book: "Stopped, Order Ticket for Workhouse;" what economy would be effected by such action in such a case; and whether the facts of the particular case referred to have been received by him from the Cork Dispensary Committee?

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

I have already in substance answered the question. The action of the Guardians is undoubtedly in the direction of economy.

DR. TANNER

Did not this poor man beg and implore to continue in the receipt of this 4s. a week out-door relief? Did he not request again and again to be allowed to live with his wife and family, and not be separated from them by being sent to the workhouse? Is it not the fact that instead of an expenditure of some £10 a year the rates will be increased to £70 in consequence of the action of the Vice Guardians?

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

No, I should think that that is not the case. The object of the Guardians was to get this man into the hospital.

DR. TANNER

There is another part of the question which the right hon. Gentleman has not answered. Has he received any information in regard to the facts of this case from the Cork Dispensary Committee recently appointed by the Vice Guardians, forwarded by the High Sheriff of the City of Cork?

MR. A. J BALFOUR

I have received an account of a meeting which has been held.

MR. FLYNN

Had the Vice-Guardians any knowledge that the stopping of outdoor relief would drive this man into the workhouse, and consequently lead to a large increase of the rates?

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

I have no information that there has been a large increase of the rates; on the contrary, I believe that the action of the Vice-Guardians has conduced to economy.

DR. TANNER

Is it not the fact that the Dispensary Committee has quite recently been appointed by the Vice-Guardians, and that it is in consequence of their protest and in the interests of humanity that I have been induced to ask these questions?

MR. A. J.BALFOUR

I do not know what reasons may have induced the hon. Member to ask these questions, but I cannot give him any further information.