§ MR. PARNELLasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether his attention has been, directed to the case of Philip MacCabe, of Meltam, Carrigallen, co. Leitrim, who was evicted with seven in family on 28th April 1880, and who is now and has been since his eviction living with his family in a miserable little hovel made up of pieces of sticks, sods, and old straw without even a door upon it, and their furniture, comprising a box and two old chairs, have to remain outside the hut in the day-time, as there is no room for them within it; and, whether they have lived in this wretched little hut during the heavy frost and snow in January and February last, and are just now recovering from a severe attack of sickness?
§ MR. TOTTENHAMsaid, that before the right hon. Gentleman answered the Question he desired to put another on the same subject. It was whether this man was the same Philip MacCabe who had paid no rent since 1877, and who had been proceeded against in January 1880, for two-and-a-half years rent and evicted; whether he had not been employed as a labourer for the last 10 years by the Protestant clergyman of the parish, and had been in the regular receipt of 6s. a week from the Land League, from which source he had received £14; whether he could not get another house if he liked, but preferred to remain in his hut because he would be able to get money from the Land League; whether it was not the fact that there had been no sickness in his family for the last six months; and whether he had some time ago taken forcible possession of his house and was ejected by the police?
§ MR. W. E. FORSTER, in reply, said, that the information he had received from the Constabulary in regard to this case was that MacCabe did not live in 1643 the hovel alluded to during the winter months. In the beginning of February last, he took possession of his former residence, and was prosecuted by the police. The case, however, was allowed to drop, as he promised not to go near the place again. Since the 18th of February he had been living in the hovel. He had seven children, only four of whom were living with him, the others being hired as servants in the neighbourhood. He was daily employed as a labourer by a gentleman in the locality. At the time of his eviction he owed three years' rent. The rent of his holding was very little over the Poor Law valuation. In regard to the Question of the hon. Member for Leitrim (Mr. Tottenham), he had not had the opportunity of testing the information which was given; but he had received it from a source which he (Mr. W. E. Forster) considered to be trustworthy.
§ MR. FINIGANasked whether it would not he fair that Questions such as those put by the hon. Member (Mr. Tottenham) should be put on the Paper in black and white, in order that the right hon. Gentleman might have an opportunity of testing their accuracy?
§ MR. W. E. FORSTER, in reply, said, that was a Question which ought to be put to the authorities of the House; but he might remind the hon. Member that it was by no means unfrequent that Questions, he would not say by the hon. Member himself, but certainly by hon. Gentlemen who sat round him, were put in the same way as the one of which he now complained.
§ MR. PARNELLThe right hon. Gentleman has said that MacCabe did not live in his hovel during the winter months, but that he did so during the month of February; I wish to ask whether February is not a winter month?
§ MR. W. E. FORSTERPerhaps it is a question of the degree of correctness; it was since the 18th of February that he lived in his hovel.