§ 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 17th instant of the proceedings at the special meeting of the Larue (County Antrim) Board of Guardians, held on the 16th instant, to consider the letter sent to the Guardians by 1546 the Secretary of the Local Government Board of Ireland; whether he is aware that, out of 61 inmates in the infirmary of the workhouse, 27 are lunatics; that the medical officer of the workhouse stated at the meeting that, of the three assistants who were helping the infirm nurse in charge at the time when the Inspector visited the house, the two who were then doing the work were regular prostitutes; and whether, considering the disclosures made at this meeting, some inquiry will be held into the working of the institution, or some steps taken to have a sufficient number of proper nurses engaged to attend to the wants of the patients?
MR. J. MORLEYThe facts are as stated in the question. The Guardians at their meeting held on the 16th instant decided to appoint a probationer nurse to assist in the workhouse infirmary. They have been informed that the Local Government Board will not countenance any arrangement under which persons of immoral character are employed to act as attendants on the sick poor, and the Board have called upon them to forthwith put a stop to such a discreditable state of affairs.