§ MR. M'CARTAN (Down, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been called to the report in The Irish News of the 25th October last, of the weekly meeting of the Lisburn Board of Guardians, in which it is stated that a letter was read from the Local Government Board with reference to the death of a Miss Duff, who had died while being evicted with her mother from a holding in Grausha, near Dromara, County Down; whether he is aware that the doctor, who had visited Miss Duff, declared her unfit for removal; whether the relieving officer was present at the eviction, or if the landlord had served him with the notice of the intended eviction as by law required; and whether he will make full inquiry into the matter, and state who was responsible for the eviction under the circumstances?
MR. ASQUTTH (for Mr. J. MORLEY)My attention had been previously drawn to this matter, and I at once directed careful inquiry to be made into all the circumstances. It appears that the deceased lived with her mother on a small farm, which was sold by public auction in April last, and purchased by a national school teacher for a sum of £210, of which sum Mrs. Duff was to receive about £70. Both deceased and her mother were allowed to remain in the house as weekly tenants at a nominal rent of 8d., which stun was only paid for one week. On September 18 a warrant for possession was granted by the Magistrates at Petty Sessions for non-payment of rent, and on September 25 notice of the intended eviction, to take effect on September 28, was served on the relieving officer, who called on Mrs. Duff and told her he was willing to assist her in any way he could. He offered to bring a conveyance to remove her to the workhouse, knit Mrs. Duff replied that 1535 she had another house of her own about 70 yards off, to which she would go. On September 26 the relieving officer again offered relief, which was likewise declined. Mrs. Duff had then received a considerable sum of money on account of her share in the sale of the farm. On September 28 the bailiffs had removed all the effects except the bed on which the deceased was lying, when she suddenly died. The relieving officer was present at the time. Deceased was visited by the dispensary medical officer on July 24, again about a week afterwards, and on September 17 he certified she would be unable to attend at the Petty Sessions Court on the following day, when the decree for possession was obtained. The medical officer informed the Local Government Board Inspector who was sent down to make inquiry that the woman was in such a weak state that he would not have been surprised to hear of her death at any time, and he thinks that the excitement attendant on the attempted eviction may have hastened her death. The police were not present at the occurrence, and the Local Government Board, having investigated all the facts, do not consider that any blame attaches to the Union officers in connection with the case.