§ 121. Mr. DEVLINasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is now in possession of sufficient information to make a statement with reference to labourers' cottages at Portstewart; whether he is aware of the circumstances under which the urban council of Portstewart proposes to increase the rents of 17 labourers' cottages in the townland of Mullaghacahall from 1s. 3d. to 3s. per week; whether these houses have been in occupation of the present tenants for 10 years and the rents punctually paid; whether one of the tenants is at present serving with the Army in France, and of the others 18 men have gone to the Front; whether the Local Government Board refuses to interfere on the ground that it has no jurisdiction; and whether he will take immediate action to prevent what these tenants regard as. a breach of contract and an act of oppression?
§ Mr. DUKEThe income produced by the rent of 1s. 3d. per week was insufficient to meet the annual expenditure in respect of these cottages, and an amount equivalent to about 4d. in the £ on the rateable area of the Portstewart Urban District was required to make good the deficit. At the new rent of 3s. the houses are almost self-supporting. The statement that the houses have been in occupation of the present tenants for ten years is, I am informed, inaccurate. Nearly all the young men of the urban district of Portstewart have gone to the Front. The Local Government Board have no jurisdiction to interfere with the urban district council in the matter of the rents charged for their cottages.
§ Mr. DEVLINDoes the right hon. Gentleman think it is a good method of getting recruits, to raise the rates of labourers' cottages when the labourers are away?
§ Mr. DEVLINWill the right hon. Gentleman see the sense of my observations, and draw the attention of this council to the question?