§ MR. MICHAEL DAVITT (Mayo, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (1) whether any Report has recently been made to him about the distressed condition of the various districts in and around Partry divisions of the Ballinrobe (County Mayo) Poor Law Union; (2) is he aware that the number of applications for outdoor relief are larger at present than when normal conditions prevail, and that the Poor Law valuation in these districts is exceptionally low, owing to the impoverished state of both land and people; (3) whether a request has been made by the Poor Law Guardians or others, supported by the recommendation of the Congested Districts Board, for a small grant of public money for the completion of the canal between the lake and Ballinrobe; and (4) whether, in view of the fact that but one mile of this canal remains to be built to complete the communication between the lake districts and the market town of Ballinrobe, and of all the circumstances of the case, he will favourably consider the advisability of recommending this grant for the carrying out of this badly-required work in this time of exceptional distress in the localities referred to?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURAn inspection of the mountain districts of the Ballinrobe Union has recently been made by 1025 the Local Government Board's Inspector, but it is not anticipated that any distress will arise which cannot be dealt with under the existing poor law. During the past four weeks the numbers on outdoor relief in the Union have only increased by two, though these numbers show an increase of 35 as compared with the corresponding period of last year. The valuation of the districts in which Partry is situated is low, as stated, but the valuation of the Union generally is fairly good, being £2 2s. 11d. per head of the population—the total valuation of the Union amounting to £60,327. With regard to the second and third paragraphs, a proposal has been made for the expenditure of a sum of money out of public funds in aid of a project for completing the canal in question, and this proposal is now under consideration.