§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (Mr. GERALD BALFOUR, Leeds, Central)asked leave to bring in a Bill to make temporary provision for the relief of distress in Ireland. The Bill had been rendered necessary by the administrative action the Local Government Board in Ireland had already taken in extending the powers of guardians of distressed unions to give outdoor relief in food and fuel. Several attempts had been made to remove the restrictions on outdoor relief since 1880, the last being under the administration of the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Montrose (Mr. John Morley), who introduced a Bill for the purpose in 1885. The present Bill followed textually the Bill of the right hon. Gentleman, save that it had au additional clause to enable boards of guardians with the sanction of the Local Government Board to raise money on the security of the rates for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of the Act. Unless the Bill were passed the guardians would be liable to be surcharged for any expenditure they might incur in that respect.
§ *MAJOR JAMESON (Clare, W.)asked whether the provisions of the Bill would apply to the island of Inniskea, with a population of 300, where there was such distress and sickness that a temporary hospital ought to be erected and trained nurses sent there.
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURsaid Inniskea was in Belmullet Union, one of the unions to which the Bill applied.
Bill to make temporary provision for the relief of distress in Ireland, ordered to be brought in by Mr. Gerald Balfour and the Solicitor General for Ireland; presented accordingly, and read the First, time; to be read a Second time upon Monday next, and to be printed.—[Bill 317.]