HC Deb 13 November 1882 vol 274 cc1293-4
MR. SEXTON

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, If his attention has been drawn to the following Resolution, unanimously adopted on the 3rd instant, by the Board of Poor-Law Guardians of Dromore West, county Sligo:— The Guardians of the Dromore West Union view with considerable alarm the statement of the Chief Secretary for Ireland, made in the House of Commons on Tuesday night last, when he stated on the authority of the Local Government Board that imminent danger of famine did not exist in the West of Ireland. It is the deliberate opinion of the Guardians that within the last thirty years no darker prospect presented itself before the people. The potatoe crop is found to be more deficient every other day. Very little of it is expected to be forthcoming on the approach of the new year. In most places half the corn has been lost by the recent storms. Hay has suffered in the same manner. Owing to scarcity of provisions the people are selling off their pigs at ruinously reduced prices at the local markets, and the quantity of horned cattle and sheep has been remarkably scanty amongst the small farmers for the last few years. We cannot lose sight of the pressure brought upon this class at present in qualifying themselves for the provisions of the Arrears Bill, and paying off enormous costs which civil bill and ejectment proceedings have entailed upon them. Having all these things in view, and that no remunerative labour is employed in the district, we feel it our bounden duty as Guardians of the Poor to put our views before the Local Government Board, so as to apprise them of the necessity of adopting measures to meet a calamity before the prospect of which we naturally shrink with horror. The Guardians at all times, considering the administration of outdoor relief as in many instances demoralising, would respectfully suggest to the Local Government Board, as means of meeting distress, advances from the Government to small farmers for the purpose of improving their holdings, as well as similar advances for the reclamation of waste lands which unhappily abound in this union; and, whether he, considering the declaration that "within the last thirty years no darker prospect presented itself before the people," will consider the suggestions to make advances to small farmers for the improvement of their holdings and for reclamation of waste lands, and will take such steps in con- cert with the Board of Works and the Local Government Board, as may secure the population of the threatened districts from widespread distress through want of employment?

MR. TREVELYAN

The attention of the Local Government Board has been drawn to the Resolution referred to by the hon. Member, and they have directed one of their Inspectors to proceed at once to Dromore West Union and to make inquiries and report as to the statements contained in the Resolution. Until I see that Report, which will not be for a few days, I cannot say whether any exceptional measures appear to be called for.