§ MR. HALPIN (Clare, W.)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether, owing to the want of employment and consequent distress to the working men in West Clare, he will give instructions to the chairmen of the several district councils and Poor Law unions therein to get the plots of land in connection with the labourers cottages fenced in so as to give employment to the labourers, that they may be able to till the said plots next spring.
THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (Mr. BRYCE, Aberdeen, S.,)My right hon. friend has asked me to answer this Question. I understand that no Provisional Order under the Labourers Acts for any district in West Clare has been issued since August, 1903. The Question would therefore appear to relate to schemes which have not yet come before the Irish Local Government Board, and in regard to these the Board have no power to give instructions as suggested.