§ MR. P. SCROPEwished to put a question to the right hon. Baronet the Secretary for Ireland relative to the recent administration of the poor-laws in the Kilrush union. He wanted to know what truth there was in the statements which he found made by local journals, that in that union all outdoor relief had been stopped on the 8th of December last? Several coroners' inquests having been held on persons who had died of starvation, it was resumed; but on the 19th of January it was again stopped, 12,500 persons having been in receipt of it. Deaths from starvation again occurred on the second stoppage of outdoor relief, and it was subsequently resumed, showing that, in the opinions of the guardians, it was absolutely necessary. He wished also to ask whether it was true that the guardians of the Kilrush union had altered the dietary of the inmates of the workhouse, and had fed them on turnips with half rations of milk? He had seen a statement, that, owing to the alteration in the dietary, the deaths had risen from four to ninty-five in the three weeks ending the 13th of January, and that, at the same time, the number of paupers in the infirmary had increased in an equal proportion. He wished to ask, lastly, whether, considering this mode of administering the poor-law, the Poor Law Board did intend to relieve the guardians of the Kilrush union from the responsibilities of that office?
§ SIR W. SOMERVILLEwas happy that it was in his power to give his hon. Friend's question an answer as satisfactory as, perhaps, he expected, and as it certainly was his desire on all occasions to afford to hon. Members; but it was impossible for him, at twenty-four hours' notice, and not having access here to papers which would have afforded more satisfactory details, to give precise information on the points which had been ennumerated with such remarkable minuteness by his hon. Friend. It was quite true that in December 347 last a large number of persons who were in the receipt of a daily outdoor allowance ceased to receive that allowance in the Kilrush union. This was caused by the want of means on the part of the guardians, the contractors having refused to supply them on credit with the necessary food for those receiving outdoor relief. Through the same cause it was certainly true, that, for a very short time, the necessity was forced upon the guardians of altering the dietary within the walls of the workhouse. During the time for which the daily allowance of meat ceased to be distributed, there was room for several hundred persons within the walls of the workhouse; but there was not the slightest reason to believe that the dietary, though altered, was not perfectly sufficient. He was speaking from memory, and could not exactly say whether or not any inquests were held during the period of the cessation of outdoor relief; but he knew that four or five inquests on persons had been held, the verdict in the third of which was death by starvation. Whether that verdict was borne out by the evidence, he could not say—he had his own opinion on that point; but he remembered perfectly well, that on one of the men who were said to have died of starvation one shilling and sixpence in money was found. His hon. Friend next asked him, whether the number of deaths had not increased during the period for which the dietary had been changed? As far as his recollection went, he should say certainly not. Previous to that time, and during that time, the mortality in the Kilrush workhouse did not exceed, if it was not below, the average mortality in Irish workhouses; but since that period there certainly had been a very considerable increase—he thought nearly double the usual average. He had received no official account whatsoever as to the second stoppage of outdoor relief. The guardians had provided lately a considerable increase to the workhouse accommodation, and he thought it probable that the stoppage had been occasioned in order to alter the workhouse, with a view to the adopting the workhouse test, and thus ascertaining whether the recipients of outdoor relief were fairly entitled to it or not. The last question related to the dissolution of the board of guardians. That board had had very great difficulties to contend with; notwithstanding the liberal advances which were made to them from the rate in aid, a very large debt was left 348 to them by their predecessors on retiring from office. The Commissioners had had reason to complain of the tardiness with which the guardians struck the rates, and perhaps that was the cause of the deficiency in their funds; but, considering that they only acceded to office on the 1st November, and the difficulties they had had to contend with, the Commissioners had not been of opinion that a sufficient cause was made out for depriving them of the management of the affairs of the union.