MARQUESS OF HAMILTON (Londonderry)To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if the attention of the Local Government Board has been drawn to the interference with the discipline in the Londonderry union workhouse, on May 12th last, by a member of the Board opening the door of the punishment ward without authority, and releasing an inmate who had been placed there a short time previously, by the master of the workhouse for disorderly conduct; and what action the Local Government Board propose taking to prevent a recurrence of such unauthorised interference by guardians.
(Answered by Mr. Bryce.) The Local Government Board have ascertained that, on the date named, the master of the Londonderry workhouse sent a female inmate to the refractory ward, and ordered that she should be kept there for seven hours. The woman was, however, liberated, after four and a-half hours' detention, by a lady guardian. The board of guardians subsequently expressed their disapproval of the lady guardian's action, and directed that the master should, in future, lock the ward when occupied, and see that the key is in safe keeping. In these circumstances the Local Government Board do not consider action on their part to be necessary.