The Express.
London, England, 1849-09-18 00:00:00

THE SHIRLEY ESTATES,

/10;;;;;;;-- report
In the Awry a of the last meeting of
the Carrickmattrass guardians, we find the following:—
Mary Wri,ffit, a wretched looking woman, applied to the
hoard for a sod% for her mAher. She arid, "We were
turned oat this day fortnight. The house was tumbled, and
my mother died yesterday evening. I have no money to
bury her : I have no coffin."
Mr. Morant—Where was she ?
Mary Wright—She was in a shed for nine or ten days, sir.
Mr. Shirley—Why did she not apply to come in hers ?
Mar) Wright—She was very old, so she was, and she had
a smothering on her, and she thought she might as well die
outside.
The Chairman—Do you mean that she threw the sticks
up against the house, and made a shed ?
Mary Wright—Yes, sir. She only owed a year's rent.
The Chairman—Under the circumstances of the ease we
cannot order her a coffin to be charged t, the rates; but I
think we might subscribe awns ourselves for a coffin. I
made two attempts to induce her to come into the house ;
but she said she was afraid she would not live if she did so.
Mr. Minuet—The change from landholding to the poor-
house bee great they do not like to come in at first. It takes
some time to do away with that feeling.
Mr. Shirley (addressing Mary Wright)—lf you don't come
in you will die too. If you don't come in you deserve to die.
You will kill yourself.
Mr. Michael Midalsou—What townland do you live in ?
Mary Wright—ln the town of Beagh sir.
Mr. Michael M'Mahon—That is on the Shirley estate ?
Mary Wight—Yee. sir.
Mr. Trietre K' sandy—lf the relieving Aker finds the
remains of a person unburied, has he not power to get them
burled ? Is the law so loose that it does not provide for such
cases
Mr. Minuet—Not so loose, but rather ss strict. It opens
the poorhouse to these persons; it thinks it better to support
the liming than to bury the dead. But it they die in the
workhouse, we bury them.
The Chairman—l think it is a great omission in the set
that it does not provide for such eases.
Mr. Movant—The law supposes that it does sufficient when
the relieving Aker has warned the guardians is such cases.
The Chairman—When you get people so obstinate that
they will sot asses u, what will you do ? I myself told the
woman to come to the house, sad she told me that she

might as well die where she was:
Rellsving Offieer—Tbb woman here applied lad board
day for outdoor relief for herself and her mother after the
board broke up, and she was refused.
Kr. Shirley (addressing Mary Wright)—Yon have killed
your 'mother. This!' the feet. Ido not doubt bat you in.
Leaded her kindness ; but you must now see what you have
done.
Mary Wright (erying)—When I bad it I did more for her
than was in my power. God knows I can't say I killed her,
I ean't ; indeed, I met. The neighbours were very 'kind to
us ; God bier therm, they ware very kind to an - •
Mr. Morana-1 he board ought to apply to the oonamiee
donne to know what metros they should take in cases of this
kind.
The Chairman—I believe there was as answer before, that
we had an power to give a oodia anises the woman died in
the hones or was ea outdoor relief.
Mr. Kennedy—l am not for opening too wide a door to
relief ; but I confess I would like to sae a coffin provided is
this ears at the oast of the rates.
The Chairman—You if • always for opening a door to
charity, where charity ought to be gives.
Mr. Minnit-4uppoenwe give a calla at the expense of the
rates who • ill Digs the order?
The Chairman—lt eau be no bum to elicit the opinion of
the e .assmissi. rem 06 the subject
The el. rk was then ordered to maks a minute of the ease,
in order to raise the qtieitiOn before the commissioners.
' The "gouttlians subscribed the peas of a es.ffin ; and
the poor creature blessed them fervently as she received
the m-any.
Mr. Mutant—Does this woman apply tc come is now ?
The Relieviag Officer—Not yet, sir.
Mr. Br.irley (addressing the woman)—l bops you will
I think hotter of the matter, and come into the house.
Mary Wright—Oh, yes, dr. When she is buried I will
; emu to, for I have no plies under heaven to pto now.
; You know the house is down, sir.
' Tee unfortanato woman the n left tae room, steeping
bitterly.