§ MR. J. TULLY (Leitrim, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he has received a resolution passed by the Bawnboy Board of Guardians at their meeting on the 18th instant, requesting that relief works should be started in the divisions of Cloverhill and Garradice, in South Leitrim, and pointing out that 200 families are in a state of destitution and willing to work; whether, as the question of the local taxation is made an element in the granting of relief works, he is aware that in the Benbrack division in the Cavan portion of this Union, where relief works are granted, according to the last Return presented to Parliament, the poor rate was 8d. and the county cess 1s. 9d. in the pound, while in the adjoining division in Leitrim, where the relief works are refused, the poor rate was 1s. and the county cess 2s. 3¼d. in the pound; and whether, under these circumstances, he will reconsider his decision, and direct the works to be begun?
MR. J. MORLEYThe resolution in question has been received. The last rate, which was struck in December 1894, in Benbrack division, was 1s. 9d., and the valuation per head of the population is nearly the lowest in the Union, namely, 16s. 7d. The rate for Cloverhill is 1s. 5d., and the valuation per head £1 7s. 3d. In Garradice division the rate is 1s. 5d., and the valuation per head "£1 18s. 6d. I may add that some 30 persons from Clover-hill have been recommended for employment on the works in Benbrack. The condition of the districts of the union in which works have not been opened is the subject of further inquiry now in progress.
§ MR. J. G. SWIFT MACNEILL (Donegal, S.)asked what was the general interval between the recommendation by the local authorities and the sanction by the Board of Works?
§ MR. MACNEILLI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland—(1) whether he is aware that relief work, sanctioned by the Government at Meenaveen, in the parish of Glencolumbkill, County Donegal; was stopped by the action of the local landlords, who object to the construction of a road leading to a limestone quarry at Creenveen; (2) whether, seeing that the opening up of this quarry was earnestly requested by the inhabitants, and would confer a great boon on the Musgrave tenantry, he will order it to be recommenced; (3) is he aware that the local landlords allowed all preparations to be made for the institution of the relief work thus sanctioned by the Government, and gave no notice or intimation of their objection until the work had been actually begun; and (4) whether, seeing that owing to this action, a large number of heads of families have been kept out of employment for upwards of three, weeks, and will be unable to take relief work unless by allowing their small holdings, which now require cultivation, to lie waste for this year, any allowance can be made to the men who have been thus deprived of employment to enable them to crop their holdings?
MR. JOHN MORLEYI am informed that the landlord gave his consent 336 to the work at the place mentioned as soon as he understood what was intended. His consent was asked for before arrangements to open the work were made, and the work was not commenced until his consent had been obtained. The work was started on the 18th March, and 31 families are employed on it. It is not possible to make these families any allowance as suggested in the last paragraph, I may add that arrangements have been made with the view of enabling all persons employed on relief works to attend to the more important pursuit of sowing their lands.
§ MR. E. F. VESEY KNOX (Cavan, W.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, whether he has received three Resolutions passed by the Guardians of the Bawnboy Union concerning the need of relief works in other districts of the Union besides those for which provision has already been made; and, whether he will endeavour to meet the wishes of the Guardians?
MR. J. MORLEYThe Resolutions in question have been received. Relief works have been opened for the people of Templeport, Benbrack, and Cloverhill, in the Bawnboy Union, and inquiries are in progress as to the circumstances of the people in other districts of the Union.