§ MR. R. AMBROSE (Mayo, W.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, if he is aware that great distress prevails in the Letterbrick Electoral Division of the Ballina Union; that 57 families, comprising 256 persons, have petitioned the Ballina Board of Guardians for relief works; and that no works have yet been opened in that district; and what steps he proposes to take in order to relieve those poor people?
MR. J. MORLEYThe Inspector of the Local Government Board visited this division yesterday, and carefully inquired into the condition of the people. He reports that, as a rule, the people are comfortably circumstanced, their lands and grazing are very good, and that they have both cattle and sheep. There are some cases of chronic poverty in the division, but there are only five cases of persons receiving out-door relief, of whom two are small landholders. Under all the circumstances there seems to be no necessity at present for the establishment of relief works within this district.