§ MR. WEBB (Waterford, W.)I beg to ask the President of the Board of 302 Trade whether statements lately made by Lord Penrhyn's agent to his workpeople regarding slackness in the Irish building trades consequent on the introduction of the Home Rule Bill are borne out by information at the disposal of the Department?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (Mr. MUNDELLA,) Sheffield, BrightsideI have not seen the statements by Lord Penrhyn's agent referred to in the question; but if the hon. Member will look at the Reports from the local Labour Correspondents in Ireland, published in the last two numbers of The Labour Gazette, he will see that the Irish building trades in the three important centres of Dublin, Belfast, and Cork are reported to be in a satisfactory condition, and that no slackness by reason of the introduction of the Homo Rule Bill, or any other cause, is mentioned.