§ MR. WEBB (Waterford, W.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that the potato blight is spreading in the county of Waterford, as well as in other parts of Ireland, as already reported; and whether the Government is fully alive to the necessity of making preparations for meeting possible distress consequent thereupon?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURIt appears from local official inquiries that while the earlier crop of potatoes in the county Waterford will, owing to the bad weather experienced in the commencement of the year, be deficient in yield, the later crop, of which the champion potato forms by far the greater portion, is still ripening, and if the improvement in the weather continues there will be no ground to apprehend a scarcity in the coming winter. There would be no difficulty in meeting any exceptional distress if such arose, which, however, the Government are glad to say they do not at present anticipate.
§ MR. SEXTONHave any Reports been laid on the Table?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURNo, Sir; I do not think it will be possible to lay the confidential Reports of the Local Government Board upon the Table.
§ MR. SEXTONWhat can there be of so confidential a character in a Report as to whether the potato blight exists or not, that it is considered necessary to suppress it?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThat is not the point. If it were to become the practice to lay these Reports on the Table it would be necessary to alter the character of the documents themselves. It is not that these particular documents could not be produced, but I must refuse to lay confidential Reports upon the Table.