§ 31. Mr. LUNDONasked the Home Secretary why it is that the Local Government Board have refused to allow the rural district councils in county Limerick the right of reducing the rents of labourers' cottages according to the agreement made between the late Chief Secretary, the hon. Member for East Limerick, and Sir Henry 1509 Robinson, Vice-President of the Local Government Board; and, in view of the hardships of the labouring classes in Ireland, will he instruct the Local Government Board to accede to the request of the rural councils and allow them, as they are prepared, the responsibility for the reduction of these rents?
Mr. SAMUELI am informed that no such agreement was come to as the hon. Member states, and a temporary reduction of the rents of these cottages was only sanctioned in one case. The burden on the ratepayers in respect of the provision of these cottages is in many rural districts more than 1s. a week per cottage. The rents charged for the cottages are very low, and would not recoup half the annual charge on the loans granted there for and to this deficit must be added the cost of repairs, rent, collection and insurance. The further loss occasioned by a reduction of the cottage rents would, of course, have to be defrayed by the ratepayers, including the tenants of the cottages, as they have to pay rates in respect thereof. As regards the last paragraph of the question, I may point out that it is open to the farmers of Ireland, who have been receiving very high prices for their stock and farm produce, to improve the condition of their labourers by giving them a reasonable addition to the wages which they received before the War.
§ Mr. LUNDONWill the right hon. Gentleman explain how it is that one district council is allowed to reduce the rents of labourers' cottages in county Limerick against eight or nine others? I hold the agreement in my hand.
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member should give notice.