The Sun.
London, England, 1850-02-06 00:00:00

KILRUSII UNION.

Mr. P. SCROPE wished to know if the Secretary for
Ireland was in a position to give any information tJ the
House in reference to the deaths from starvation which
had occurred in, consequence of outdoor relief being
refused to paupers, at the Kilrush Union, while the
guardians were in possession of funds?
Sir W. SOMERVILLE was afraid it was not in his
power to give his Honourable Friend so satisfactory an
answer as perhaps he had a right to expect, and which
certainly it was his desire always to giro to
questions put to- him of this kind. Ho must
throw himself upon the indulgence of the House, as
it was quite impossible fir him to procure
the information required with only twenty-four
hours' notice, but relying upon such information
as he had received before nctice of these questions was
given, he could state that it was quite true that in De-
cember last a large number of persons who were in the
receipt of daily allowances ceased to receive that allow-
ance in the Kilrush Union. It was caused by a want
of means on the Fart of the guardians, the contractors
having, refused to supply them with the necessary provi-
sions for making the allowances. From the same
cause it was equally true that, for a very short time,
the necessity was forced upon the guardians of altering
the dietary within the walls of the workhouse; but he
begged his Hon. Friend and the House to remember
that during the time the day allowance ceased to be dis-
tributed to the paupers there was room for several hun-
dred persons within the walls of the workhetise.
Mr. P. SCROPE—Was the dietary sufficient?
Sir W. SOMERVILLE believed it was perfectly
sufficient. His Hon. Friend next proceeded to aek
whether during that period inquests were not held
within the union. Ile was again speaking from memory,
whether it was during that period he could not say, but
there were some four or five inquests held in the Kil-
rush Union, and verdicts returned of alleged death by
starvation. On one of the deceased, however, there
was found money amounting to le. 6d.—(Hear, hear.)
As to the mortality in the Kilrush workhouse, he knew
that previous to the time when the dietary was changed,
the mortality did not exceed, if it was not below. the mor-
tality of the workhouses throughout Ireland. The next
question of his Hon. Friend had reference to the second
stoppage of out-door relief by the guardians of the Kilrush
Union. Ho had received no official account whatever as to
that stoppage, and ho was not able to give his Hon.
Friend the reason of that second stoppage; but the
guardians bad provided themselves lately with consider-
able workhouse accommodation, and he (Sir W. Somer-
ville) thought it probable that that second stoppage
was for the purpose of irtroducing the workhouse
test, with the view to see which of the pau-
pers ought most properly to he put upon the out-
door relief list. The last question of his Honourable
Friend related to the dissolution of the board of guar-
dians. Tlat board had had very great difficulties to
contend with. Notwithstanding the liberal advances
that were made to them from the rate-in-aid a very
large debt was left to them by the vice-guardians
on their retirement from office.—(Hear, bear.)
The Commissioners had reason to complain of the
tardiness with which the guardians had collected
the rates. This much he could say, that certainly that
second stoppage of out-door relief was not caused from
any lack of funds. He had endeavoured to answer the
Hon. Gentleman's questions as well as he could, con-
sidering the short notice he had given him.
CEYLON.

Mr. FIUME had a petition to present from several
inhabitrnts of, Ceylon, on the subject respecting which
he had put some questions to her Majesty's Government
last night.' The main object of the petition, the sub-
stance of which was:read by the Hon. Member, was to ask
whether Government meant to make any'and what com•
pensation for the injuries inflicted upon them by the
execution of martial law during the hit, insurrection.
TENANT RIGHT IN IRELAND.
Lord CASTLEREAGII rose to point the attention
of her Majesty's GOvernment to the meeting which had
lately been held in the county of Down respecting the
question of tnant right, which had been presided over
by some Presbyterian minister, and at which very in-
temperate language had been used. He also wished to
know whether it was the intention of Government to
Introduce a Bill for the settlement of this question.
Sir WILLIAM SOMERVILLE said it was his in-
tention, on the 18th, to lay a Bill upon the table to
amend the law of landlord and tenant.