§ MR. J. DEVLIN (Belfast, W.)To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieu- 310 tenant of Ireland whether his attention has been called to the increase in the number of provisional admissions into the Belfast workhouse in consequence of the labour dispute now existing in that city, and the extra expense involved to the ratepayers thereby; whether he is aware that; a number of cases were refused admission on the sole ground that they were victims of the dispute; and whether the Local Government Board will issue any instructions to the guardians in this matter.
(Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The Local Government Board have ascertained from the clerk of the Belfast union that there has been some increase in the number of provisional admissions to the workhouse, and this increase has been attributed to the local labour dispute. The chairman of the admission committee has represented that in no case has admission been refused on the ground that the application was the result of the labour dispute, but all applications have been dealt with on their merits in the ordinary course. The Local Government Board do not propose to interfere with the responsibility and discretion of the guardians in the matter.