§ *MR. P. M'GILLIGAN (Fermanagh, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that at the inquiry recently instituted by the Local Government Board relative to the housing of the labourers in Lisnaskea Union, county Fermanagh, consequent on the refusal of the guardians to act on the representations sent in from time to time from the ratepayers of various divisions to adopt the provisions of the Labourers Act, Mr. Murphy, solicitor, Clones, who appeared for the labourers, drew attention to the fact that some of the labourers, and especially one, Mr. Jones, who had attended had been threatened by their employers, and received intimations to look out for other houses, and that there had been a marked diminution in attendance of labourers at later stages of the inquiry; and whether steps will be taken in future to protect labourers who attend these inquiries from such treatment?
MR. J. MORLEYThe Local Government Board have not yet received their Inspector's report of the proceedings at this inquiry, but they will refer the question to him for his observations. Complaints have been made in other cases that notices to quit had been served on applicants for cottages by their employers, but I hardly think the matter is one which comes within the control of the Local Government Board.