MR. O'CONNOR POWERasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland, If he will state to the House why the works passed at the extraordinary special sessions held at Ballinrobe, county Mayo, have not been sanctioned by the Board of Works; and, whether, in view of the distress prevalent in the barony of Kil-maine, he will take steps to have these works sanctioned so as to give employment to the labouring classes in that district?
§ MR. W. E. FORSTERI find, Sir, that at the extraordinary baronial pre- 1083 sentment sessions at Ballinrobe, works to the amount of £3,0 10 were passed, and that a portion of those works to the amount of £810 was approved of by the Board of Works. The Local Government Inspector reported against any works being sanctioned in the barony, as he considered the employment given by landed proprietors under the Landed Improvements Act would be quite ample. Having, however, ascertained that the landlords contemplated stopping the works in several instances, and beginning them again after the harvest, the Inspector recommended that the works approved of by the Board of Works should be proceeded with. The Government acceded to this proposition, and had conveyed an intimation to that effect to the Secretary of the Grand Jury.