§ MR. JOHN O'CONNELL, who had given notice for to-night that he intended to ask the Government what measures they intended to bring forward to meet the aggravated distress of the present winter in Ireland, and when those measures were to be laid upon the table, was anxious to put his questions in a more definite form, and to state distinctly the points upon which he wished for information. He begged to ask, first, whether further returns had been received respecting the working of the poor-law in Ireland? Next, whether means were contemplated for giving immediate employment and food to the destitute poor of Ireland, by the completion of the roads, and other such minor public works as might be necessary for the object? Also, what measures would be enacted, and when they would be brought forward, to check the spread of fever in Ireland? Also, what plan the Government had with reference to waste lands, with a view to the employment of the people and the improvement of the land, and when that would be brought forward? Another question he had given notice of for to-night, and that also he now proposed to put. It was, when would the contemplated Bill for the amendment of the laws regarding landlord and tenant in Ireland be introduced?
§ SIR G. GREYobserved, that the hon. Gentleman had placed a short notice upon the Paper of one or two questions which he intended to put to the Government; but a very short time since he had received from the hon. Member a copy of a series of questions, including a variety of inquiries as to the intentions of the Government with regard to the completion of public works, the employment of the people in various ways, the reclamation of waste lands, the measures to be taken for 371 arresting the spread of fever, and other subjects. He was certainly not prepared to state what measures might be proposed by Her Majesty's Government with reference to those subjects; but if the hon. Member for Limerick had furnished him with a copy of the precise questions he intended to put, instead of giving notice of one or two short questions, he would have been prepared to give an answer to his inquiries. He might state, however, that Her Majesty's Government did not intend, under the present circumstances of the country, to call upon Parliament to sanction any further advances of money to Ireland. There still remained at the disposition of Government large stores of food from the supply which had been placed at their command last year, and which would be sufficient to meet any necessity that was likely to arise for the relief of the destitute poor in Ireland. He might also state that the Government were not prepared to propose to Parliament any further measures for affording advances to the landed proprietors of Ireland. He could not state what course the Government might think fit to adopt at a later period of the Session, but these were their present intentions. With regard to the landlord and tenant question, he might state that a Bill on that subject had been prepared, and was now under the consideration of the Government; and he must say, he thought it would be a very unwise and inexpedient proceeding on the part of Her Majesty's Ministers, and would tend to defeat the object of those who wished to see a well-considered measure on the subject introduced, if, within the next few days, and before it had received the most careful and deliberate consideration, they were to lay that Bill upon the table. He could not, therefore, pledge himself as to the precise time when that measure would be brought forward; but the Bill had been drawn, and was now under the consideration of the Government, and it was their intention to submit it to Parliament as soon as they were satisfied that it was likely to work efficiently.
§ MR. J. O'CONNELLhad supposed that, if he had not placed in the hands of the right hon. Baronet the precise questions he intended to ask, he might, after the brief notice he had given, have been met with the objection that the notice was too general. He begged to say that, as he did consider the reply of the right hon. Baronet satisfactory, he would move an 372 Amendment on the Motion for bringing up the report of the Committee for Supply.