The Sun.
London, England, 1847-03-02 00:00:00

WAGES OF LABOURERS IN SLIGO.

Mr. W. S. O'BRIEN wished to know whether the
Government had made any inquiries into the truth of
the statement which had been published in some of the
newspapers, as to the labourers in Sligo recoiling only
eightpence per day wages from the Board of Works ?
Mr. LABOUCHERE said that he had communicated
with the Board of Works, and he had received infor-
mation that the wages of the labourers in the part re-
ferred to by the Hon. Member was only at the rate of
Bd. per day. The reasons which had induced the Board
of Works to adopt this course,aroae from its being thought
desirable to encourage a system of task work. The sys-
tem of task work was open to any labourer who wished
to adopt it, and it was only when task work was
not performed that the wages of eightpenee per
day were given to the labourers.—(Hear, hear.)
Now, it must be remembered that the average'claily
wages in the county of Sligo was only 6d. a day. It
was deemed important not to divert more than was ab-
sidutely necessary of the labour required for the culti-
vation of the soil, and for agricultural purposes. SaJnder
those circumstances the officers of the Board ()Works
had thought it better to employ only one Mali out of
every family, instead of raising the prices of agricultural
labour to more than Bd. a day; and although at the present
price of provisions it was difficult to support a family,
yet, in order to extend the relief as much as pos'S'ible,
was deemed advisable to adopt the rule of employing
only one male from each family. With regard to
another point, namely, the proportion that the expenses
of the staff bore to the total expenditure, he was happy to
say that the anticipations of the Hon. Member were
altogether unfounded. He found that the number of
labourers emp:oyed was from 19,000 to 20,000, that
there was one overseer for every forty labourers, and a
check clerk for every 280. He found, also, that the
total expenditure for a month was 27,8771., and that
from this amount a sum of 2,1101. fur day clerks, cheek
clerks, &c., was to be deducted.
Mr. W. S. O'BRIEN wished to know if the Right
Hon. Gentleman the Secretary for Ireland thought that
84. a day would support a family?
Mr. P. SCROPE wished to know what provision had
been made for infirm paupers who were not able to b.
employed upon the roads? The only measure that was
destined for their relief was one which would not come
into operation before the next autumn. He had a
letter in his hand from a gentleman in Carlow,
in which it was stated that this class had been refused
admission into the workhouse, and the guardians refused
to relieve them till they had built temporary sheds for
their accommodation. The other rncde to which he
referred was by relief committees, and they were
interdicted from giving relief by the limited
means at their command, the Government only
supplying assistance in proportion to voluntary sub
scription.—(Cries of " Order, order.") The question he
wished to ask was, what certainty of relief the Hon.
Gentleman could hold out, under those circumstances,
to the old, the infirm, women, and children?
Mr. LABOUCHERE, in reply to the Hon. Gentle-
mar, did not believe that the class referred to were
likely to suffer from starvation. The present system
of public works would be continued until the
plan proposed to be substituted came into operation,
and ho did not apprehend that the inconvenience re-
ferred to by the lion. Gentleman would ever arise.
Mr. HUME wished to know it' the Govt rnrnent had
fixed a day when the present expenditure on the public
works would cease?

Mr. LABOUCHERE replied that it had not; but the
system intended to be substituted would come into
operation with as little delay as possible.

THE ROMAN CATHOLIC) RELIEF BILL.

Sir ROGER I H. INGLIS wished to know whether
a motion for the Committee on the Roman Catholic
Relief Bill would be proposed before Easter ?
Mr. B. ESCOTT said he had seen his Hon. and
Learned Friend the Member for Kinsale before coming
to the House, and could state that the Committee woulo
not be proceeded with before Easter. He now begged
to fix the first Wednesday after Easter for proceeding
with the Bill.

In answer to a question by ISIr. 0. STANLEY,

Mr. ESCOTT said that his Hon. and Learned Friend
the Member for Kinsale was prepared to give every in-
formation and satisfaction to the House upoa the clauses
regarding processions.
THE MEASURES FOR IRELAND.

Sir J. D. NORREYS said that, before passing the
measures for the relief of the suffering Irish, he thought
it would be better to appeal to the Irish landlords. Mea-
sures might be adopted to promote tillage.
Lord J. RUSSELL said that he was not at all satis-
fied that there was any prospect of the lion. Gentleman's
views being carried out at present with respect to tillage