§ MR. ROCHE (Galway, E.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether, in view of the demand for employment made by the people of the Loughrea and Portumna Unions, in order to assist them in meeting the distress which prevails in those districts, he intends to institute public works in those Unions?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThe matter is receiving the attention of the Government, but I am not aware that there is any ground for the institution of public works.
§ DR. TANNER (Cork Co., Mid)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if he is aware that 1375 the plans for the proposed railway from Macroom to Ballyvourney were submitted to and almost unanimously approved of by the Grand Jury of the County of Cork at the Summer Assizes of 1889 without a guarantee; whether application was made to the Privy Council on the subject; whether the Cork and Macroom Railway Company are satisfied to contribute £20,000 to the cost of the line provided the Government give £40,000, or the company will undertake to complete the line and supply the necessary rolling stock if the Government contribute £40,000; is he aware that much distress and dearth of labour exist in the district, attested by Poor Law Guardians, clergy, and constabulary; and whether any steps will be taken to promote the line of railway in question?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURA Memorial containing the statement in paragraph I of the question, and praying that the proposed line of railway might be declared as, one desirable to be made under the Act of 1889, was received ill October last. No financial suggestions of the nature referred to in paragraph 3 were made to the Government; nor having regard to the large sums of money already voted by Parliament, do they feel that this is a case in which they could specially appeal to Parliament for a grant. The state of Macroon Union is receiving attention.
§ DR. TANNERI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland what relief works have been started, or proposed to be undertaken, in the Macroom and Millstreet Unions, and in the parish of Donoughmore, County Cork?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURNo works have been started in either of the Unions mentioned. In regard to the parish of Donoughmore, relief works have been opened within the last few days in the electoral division of Templeomalus.
§ MR. MORROGH (Cork, S.E.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he has yet received the resolutions passed by the large public meeting held in Bandon on the 10th instant, which meeting was attended and addressed by some of the most influential inhabitants of Bandon and surrounding districts, of different creeds and politics, one of 1376 which resolutions recommended the construction of a light railway to Kilmacsimon Quay for the relief of the present and impending distress; and whether he is prepared to give the matter his favourable consideration?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURA letter purporting to forward the resolutions was received two days ago, but the resolutions did not accompany it.
§ MR. MORROGHI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he has received a resolution, relative to the present distress existing in the district, passed by the Board of Guardians of the Schull Union on the 10th instant; and, if so, what attention is he prepared to give to the subject?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThe hon. Member does not seem to be aware that relief works are in actual progress in the electoral divisions of Schull and Crookhaven. The condition of other portions of the Union mentioned is having attention.
§ MR. KNOXI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he has received and considered Reports relating to the distress in the Glangevlin and neighbouring districts of the County Cavan; whether he has considered the unanimous resolution of the Enniskillen Board of Guardians declaring the necessity for relief works; whether he is aware that the district pays extracess for the Cavan, Leitrim, and Roscommon Railway, which is 14 miles off, and is never used by the people, who use the Sligo and Enniskillen line six miles off; whether he is aware that the roads in the district are very few and very bad; and whether, considering the various circumstances of the case, he will take steps to relieve the pressing distress by road-making or otherwise?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThe condition of Glangevlin and other neighbouring districts in the Enniskillen Union has received careful attention. There is no reason at present to apprehend the occurrence of severe distress from want of food; but there is a scarcity of fuel in the locality, to meet which the Guardians were authorised a month ago to afford relief in fuel.
§ MR. WILLIAM ABRAHAM (Limerick, W.)I beg to ask the Chief 1377 Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been called, by resolution of the Newcastle West and Glin Boards of Guardians, to the destitution prevailing among the labourers and small farmers in the west of County Limerick; if he has caused inquiries to be made; and whether any relief works are in contemplation?
§ MR. A J. BALFOURThe condition of the district in the west of County Limerick referred to is receiving attention. As regards Newcastle Union, the Guardians have been authorised to afford relief in fuel should they deem such a course necessary.
§ MR. STACK (Kerry, N.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether the Government have decided to accede to the influential local Memorial recently forwarded to Dublin Castle in favour of the construction of a light railway from Listowel to Tarbert, in the County of Kerry, connecting Newcastle and Abbey-feale with the Port of Tarbert; and whether he has been apprised of the necessity of taking immediate steps, by the opening of some such work as this, to meet the widespread distress which prevails in this part of North Kerry?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURA Memorial on this subject has been received, and is receiving attention.
MR. MAC NEILL (Donegal, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that, although there are on Tory Island a splendid lighthouse, a Lloyd's signal and telegraph station, a post office and a national school, yet there is not on that island an ordinary pier, or even a boat slip; is he aware that the inhabitants of Tory Island are for the most part fishermen; that frequent movements have been made for the construction of a pier, and that Mr. Hicks, the Local Government Board Inspector, who accompanied him in his tour in Donegal, took bearings for the site of a pier, made reports, and promised his best efforts to promote its construction; and whether, having regard for the present distress and the relief work which might be given in the construction of a pier, he will take steps to procure this boon for the island?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI have no doubt that a pier would be useful on 1378 Tory Island. But I cannot give any undertaking on the subject.
§ MR. FLYNNI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he has received a copy of a Report of Dr. Sandiford, dispensary doctor, furnished to the Mallow Board of Guardians on 12th inst., setting forth the acute distress amongst the labourers and small farmers of Glountane and Mourney Abbey, and stating that a large number of families are in a "starving condition"; whether the attention of the Government has been called to the distress in this district; and if the Government have sanctioned any relief works or reproductive employment in the locality?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThe attention of the Government has not been called to the Report in question.
§ COLONEL NOLAN (Galway, N.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if he could state what works under the Relief of Distress Act (Ireland) are now in progress in the Unions of Tuam and Glenamaddy, and what further works are in contemplation?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURRelief works are about to be opened.
§ DR. TANNERI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether the attention of the Local Government Board in Ireland has been called to a Memorial received and adopted by the Bandon Board of Guardians, and signed by nearly 400 of the principal inhabitants of the district between Crookstown and Enniskeane, which Memorial directs urgent attention to the distress existing in the district, and showing that were the line of light railway constructed between Crookstown and Enniskeane it would prove a great financial success, and provide labour for the starving labourers in the district; whether similar Memorials were received from the Templemartin and the Enniskeane Dispensary Committees, which passed resolutions in favour of the line, which were also adopted by the Bandon Board of Guardians, and duly forwarded to the Local Government Board; and whether any, and, if so, what, steps are being or will be taken to investigate the proposition and carry out the suggested relief work?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURMemorials have been received, and they are being attended to.
§ DR. TANNERIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that reports have been made by the Constabulary and by the Poor Law Guardians, many of whom are Conservatives, as to the absolute state of starvation which exists in this district?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURAs I have already told the hon. Gentleman, I am aware that Memorials have been presented.