§ MR. M'CARTAN (Down, S.)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether his attention has been called to a report which appeared in The Belfast Morning News, of the 22nd February, of a meeting of the Banbridge Board of Guardians, held on the previous day; whether a relieving officer named Beck reported to the Board that he had been served with eight notices of intended evictions on the estate of Earl Annesley, and that he had not been informed of the date on which, the evictions would take place; whether several weeks often elapse between the service of notice on the relieving officer and the execution of ejectment degree by the Sheriff; and, whether the Government will require reasonable notice to be given to the relieving officer of the day appointed for carrying out those evictions, or if some other provision will be made to secure support and habitation for the tenants and their families pending their return to their homes?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Sir MICHAEL HICKS-BEACH) (Bristol, W.)I have to thank the hon. Member for having been good enough to send me a copy of the newspaper report to which he refers. I am not aware of any reason to doubt its accuracy; but the hon. Member did not give such notice of the Question as would have enabled me to confirm it by local inquiry. Assuming it to be correct, I am glad to see that the Guardians and the relieving officer appear to be fully alive to their duties and responsibilities in the event of relief being required by any evicted persons. I have no information before me to show 721 that a change in the law is required, or that where Boards of Guardians and their officers are acting in the discharge of their duties the objects of the statute passed for the protection and relief of the evicted poor are not attained.