HC Deb 21 December 1893 vol 20 cc84-5
MR. SEXTON

I bog to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been drawn to a resolution unanimously adopted by the Listowel Board of Guardians on the 14th instant, declaring that owing to want of specific notice of the time at which evictions are to be executed, hardship is suffered invariably when any of the people evicted are aged or infirm, and unable to travel to the residence of the relieving officer; and whether, with a view to prevent the infliction of avoidable hardship, the Government will use their influence to secure that the notices of evictions given to the officers of the Guardians are sufficiently specific to enable those officers to arrange for the timely relief of the evicted?

MR. BRYCE (for Mr. J. MORLEY)

My attention has been drawn to the resolution adopted by the Listowel Board of Guardians on the 14th instant, and I quite feel that hardship may occasionally result from the indefiniteness of a notice. Under Section 2 of the Act 11 & 12 Vict., c. 47, notice must be served on the relieving officer of the intended eviction "not less than 48 hours" before the execution of any writ of possession. The Statute does not appear to impose any obligation of stating the precise time when the eviction will take place, and the Executive have no power to compel the landowner to give more specific information than the Act provides, and no efficient means of exerting any influence for that purpose.

MR. SEXTON

The statutory provision being manifestly inadequate, may I ask whether it is not the duty of the Sheriff, when he applies to the Government for police protection, to state when the evictions are to take place? Could not the information be transmitted then to the relieving officer in order that he might make provision for the aged and infirm?

MR. BRYCE

I can hardly say without consideration whether such an arrangement is possible, I have, however, already expressed my opinion that the present state of things may work harshly in some instances.

MR. MACARTNEY (Antrim, S.)

Have the Local Government Board any information as to cases in which hardship has been inflicted?

MR. BRYCE

That is obviously a question which can only be answered after communication with the Local Government Board.