MR. MACVEIGHTo ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that there are men in East Donegal who occupy holdings under £3 valuation and who are daily labouring with the adjoining farmers and cannot got the benefit of the Labourers Act from the fact that they are the holders of these patches of bog; and, if so, will he take steps to have the provisions of the Labourers Act extended to them.
(Answered by Mr. Bryce.) I am informed that no complaints to the effect mentioned have been received by the Local Government Board. I would refer the hon. Member to the definition of agricultural labourer contained in Section 4 of the Labourers Act of 1886, and to the extension of the definition contained in Section 93 of the Irish Land Act of 1903. The provision in the latter section, which excludes persons who are in occupation of land exceeding one quarter of an acre from the definition, applies only to persons who work for hire at other than agricultural work. The limitation as to the quantity of land which may be occupied does not apply to a person who does agricultural work for hire.