HC Deb 25 April 1917 vol 92 cc2406-7W
Sir T. ESMONDE

asked why the undertaking given in the House to supply the Enniscorthy District Asylum with sugar has not been carried out; and what instructions have been given by the Commissioners to the asylum contractor on the subject?

Captain BATHURST

The promised supply was, in fact, sent, and was intended to be supplementary to the sugar which the asylum authorities were entitled to obtain from the firm or firms who supplied them in 1915. Apparently for some reason the authorities of the asylum are not getting these supplies, but they had not previously brought this fact to the notice of the Royal Commission on the Sugar Supply. Instructions were issued last night for a week's emergency supply of sugar to be dispatched to the asylum authorities, who have been asked to send forthwith further details of the case to the Royal Commission. I must apologise for having in a previous answer confused the sugar requirements of the Enniscorthy Asylum with those of the Enniscorthy Union.

Mr. CLANCY

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether his attention has been drawn to the complaints of several boards of guardians in Ireland, including the boards of guardians of the union of Balrothery, county Dublin, and of many small traders in the city of Dublin, that they are unable to obtain the necessary, and in some cases any, supply of sugar; and, if those complaints are well founded, whether the Food Controller will take immediate steps to secure such supplies without delay to those public bodies referred to and to the small dealers in question?

Captain BATHURST

No complaint appears to have reached either the Food Controller or the Sugar Commission on the sugar supply from the Balrothery Board of Guardians. The Sugar Commission are always prepared to consider cases in which public authorities are unable to obtain sufficient sugar for institutions under their control, or cases in which private traders are unable to obtain supplies of sugar due to them under the rules governing the present system of distribution