§ MR. DRAGE (Derby)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland will he state what is the total number of cottages authorised under the Labourers Acts up to the latest date for which the figures can be given; the amount of loans sanctioned for the purpose; and the proportion of cottages authorised and loans sanctioned in the four provinces, Ulster, Connaught, Minister, and Leinster respectively; and whether he has considered the desirability of making special grants for the housing of the working classes in districts to which the Labourers Acts do not apply?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY TO THE LORD LIEUTENANT OF IRELAND (Mr. GERALD BALFOUR,) Leeds, CentralThe number of cottages authorised to be built in Ireland under the Labourers Acts to the 31st March last 275 was 15,748, and the total amount of loans sanctioned by the Treasury for the purpose to that date was £1,909,311. In Ulster the number of cottages authorised to be built was 270; in Connaught, 127; in Munster, 8,926: and in Leinster, 6,425. The loans sanctioned amounted to £40,324 in Ulster; £13,163 in Connaught; £1,031,869 in Munster; and £823,954 in Leinster. As regards the second paragraph, loans amounting to £258,860 have been sanctioned to the 31st March last in connection with, the erection of houses for the working classes residing in towns, to which the Labourers Acts do not apply.