§ MR. MAURICE HEALY (Cork)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether his attention has been called to the complaints made as to the large number of stowaways from Liverpool (sometimes as many as five per week) landed at Queens-town from the American liners, all of whom being quite destitute become a charge on the rates of the Cork Poor Law Union; and, whether, having regard to the fact that the English Poor Law protects the local rates in converse cases, the Government propose to take any steps to relieve the Cork ratepayers from the burden cast upon them by the state of things in question?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Sir MICHAEL HICKS-BEACH) (Bristol, W.)The attention of the late Chief Secretary was called to this matter; but it did not appear that anything could be done to alter what is complained of without a change in the law. Whether legislation on the subject of settlement should be undertaken is a very large question. It certainly cannot be undertaken now. Perhaps the facts as to Cork are of less gravity than the hon. Member supposes. The inquiries made by the Local Government Board show that out of 484 persons landed at Queenstown in the manner complained of in the last five years, only 14 remain in the workhouse; 200 took their departure the day after their admission, and 150 within a few days.