§ MR. P. MARTINasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland, Whether his attention has been called to the statements made by aldermen and justices of the peace, members of the board of guardians of the Kilkenny Union, at their meeting on the 9th instant, from which it appears that not less than 4,000 people have been obliged in that city to seek relief out of the special relief fund raised; that in the town of Freshford, out of a total population of 847, there were no less than 45 heads of families who, though anxious to work, had been left unemployed for the past three months; that in the adjacent townlands very many labourers had of late in vain sought work, and that the small farmers 921 had been obliged to consume for food their seed potatoes; that the severity and proportions of the distress in the Union had increased and were now increasing to an alarming extent; that several landowners were willing to give employment if afforded the special facilities for borrowing; and, is it not the fact that a third application has now been made to the Irish Local Government Board to place the Union on the list of Scheduled Unions, and has that application been granted; and, if refused, whether there is any objection to produce the Report or Reports which affirmed there was no exceptional distress in the Union?
§ MR. J. LOWTHERIt appears, Sir, that representations have been made to the Local Government Board with regard to Kilkenny, but I cannot find any similar application made with regard to Freshford. Inquiries have been instituted by the Local Government Board, and a Report has been made to the Irish Government that the Board considered it would be impossible to include Kilkenny in the Schedule unless all the other Unions in Ireland were taken in. I have also received a communication from a member of the committee appointed to administer the special relief fund. He informed me that the 4,000 persons spoken of, in his opinion, far exceeds the total number relieved, including the whole of the number of inmates in the workhouse. He adds that the fund which was instituted this winter during the frost is not so large as that raised for the purpose last year; and, in his opinion, and that of the committee, there would be ample funds not only to meet all the requirements of all cases of distress in the present season, but leave a surplus for next year. I must state that the Reports of the Inspector of the Local Government Board are confidential, and cannot be laid on the Table.
§ MR. P. MARTINasked the right hon. Gentleman, Hit is correct that in Fresh-ford, out of a population of 847, there are at present 45 heads of families totally unemployed?
§ MR. J. LOWTHERDoes the hon. Gentleman gather what I said? It was that no representation with regard to Freshford has been made to the Local Government Board.