§ Mr. BOLANDasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether his attention has been called to the action of the Local Government Board in disqualifying for old age pensions those persons passed by the Sneem and Caherdaniel sub-committees who, having attained the age of seventy, have assigned their farms to their sons on marriage, whilst reserving the grass of a cow or two; whether he is aware that this has been the invariable practice in the district; that these applicants in an impoverished district are unable to work their farms when they have attained the age of seventy; that their children would emigrate unless parents assigned the farm by way of marriage settlement; and that the assignment in such cases has not been, as asserted by the Local Government Board, for the sake of getting the pension; and whether, in view of the small sum that would be obtained if these small holdings were put up for sale, and that the reservation of the grass of a cow or two is more valuable than the sale of the farm, the Local Government Board will reconsider its decision in these cases?
§ Mr. BIRRELLNo representations have been received by the Local Government Board from the sub-committee referred to, with respect to the Board's decisions in the case of claimants who have made assignments of their holdings to their children on marriage. The practice of the Board in such cases is explained on page XL of their Annual Report for the year ended 31st March, 1910.