§ Mr. WILLIAM O'BRIENasked the Chief Secretary whether his attention had been called to the schedule of special poundage rates in respect of extra police charges and compensation for malicious injuries in addition to the ordinary rates just published by the county council of Galway; would he state the total poundage rates for the divisions of Ballinasloe, Clifden, Galway, Glenamaddy, Gort, Loughrea, Mountbellew, Oughterard, Portumna, and Tuam, respectively, specifying in each case the special poundage rate for extra police and for compensation for malicious injuries; was he aware that the extra burdens upon the ratepayers of the county of Galway in respect of extra police and malicious injuries for the past year amounted to £28,000 or thereabouts; and would the Irish Government or the Congested Districts Board take steps to form a conciliation board representing the interests of landlords and tenants in the county, with a view to devising some means of relieving the ratepayers from this burden and its attendant unrest and ill-will?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI have seen a newspaper copy of the schedule to which the hon. 509 Member refers. The total poundage rates for the year ended 31st March, 1911, in the rural districts mentioned in the question are as follows:-Ballinasloe 4s. 5¾d.; Clifden, 7s. 3d.; Galway, 6s. 1¼d.; Glenmaddy, 4s. 7d.; Gort, 4s. 3¾d.; Loughrea, 4s. 2¾d.; Mountbellew, 4s. 7¾d.; Oughterard, 6s. 4¼d.; Portumna, is. 4s. 1½d.; Tuam, 4s. 9¾d. A rate of 1s. in the pound is being levied in respect of extra police, and the rate for malicious injuries varies from ¼d. to 1s. 8½d. The net amount estimated by the county secretary to be raised in respect of extra police is £28,219. I do not, for myself, see how the state of such a place, for example, as Athenry could be brought before a conciliation board, but I will bring the hon. Member's suggestion to the notice of the Congested Districts Board.
§ Mr. WILLIAM O'BRIENMay I ask whether in England it is not quite usual that conflicts of equal gravity between capital and labour are settled by the friendly initiative of the Board of Trade, and will he kindly inquire why that should be impossible in Ireland?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI am prepared to make any inquiry which the hon. Gentleman suggests, but disputes between capital and labour are of an entirely different kind from those which unhappily exist over a limited portion of Ireland.