HC Deb 12 March 1880 vol 251 cc909-11
MR. P. MARTIN

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary for Ireland, Has any power been given to Receivers under the Court of Chancery in Ireland to purchase and distribute, on such terms and in such manner as may be deemed by them advisable, seeds amongst those tenants under the Court who may be now unable to purchase seeds; and, if not, has the Court of Chancery power to imitate in this respect the example shown by many landlords in Ireland?

MR. J. LOWTHER

Sir, I am given to understand there is no power given by law to carry out the proposal which the hon. And learned Gentleman suggests; but he is, no doubt, aware that the supply of seeds in the distressed districts will be made under the Boards of Guardians under the operation of the Statute recently passed by Parliament.

MR. P. MARTIN

Might I ask, Whether, in point of fact, under these circumstances, the right hon. Gentleman will give directions to the Local Government Board to schedule all the Unions in Ireland, and not to restrict the distribution of seeds to those in the present Schedule?

MR. J. LOWTHER

Sir, I fear I would not be keeping faith with Parliament if I scheduled the whole of the Unions in Ireland. The Local Government Board have scheduled, I believe, up to the present time, 117 Unions in Ireland for the purpose of seed supply. Of course, each Union will be considered on its own merits; but the hon. and learned Member will see that I cannot undertake to schedule all of them.

MR. O'CONNOR POWER

Perhaps it would be convenient now for the right hon. Gentleman to answer the Question of which I have given Notice—If it is true that some of the Boards of Guardians in Mayo decline to grant loans of seed oats and seed potatoes to farmers holding land under a £4 population; and, if so, whether he will take steps to carry out the Clause of the Act providing for the issue of such loans to farmers holding land under £4, as well as to those of a higher valuation?

MR. J. LOWTHER

Sir, I have not heard, previous to the Notice given by the hon. Member, that any Report such as that to which he alludes has been presented. I sent a message to Ireland to make inquiries, and I find that no such statement has come before the Local Government Board. I learned the other day that four Boards of Guardians in Ireland had declined to grant loans, and the Local Government Board addressed to them a positive order, requiring them to put in the provisions of the Seed Act; and the decision at which the Boards fortunately arrived was that they would comply with the Act. As I stated in the House the other day, the duty of all the Boards of Guardians is to confine themselves to carrying out the provisions of the Act. I never heard any idea about drawing a line on account of the amount of the valuation, and, as far as I know, there has been no distinction of the kind drawn.