44 Correspondence on the Subject of Distress [_App.
A.,
Ill
III.—correspondence
on the subject of distress in the
islands of lnnisboffin and innisshark.
No.
1.—Extract
from Guardians' Minutes of Wednesday, 29th
January, 1873.
Read,—Letter from Mr.
M'Cormick of Boffin relative to the state of the ihlands of Inibhboffin and Shark.
Ordered that the Relieving Officer proceed to Inishbofrin and Shark, and report to the Board on this day week.
On consideration of the present state of the Union it was unanimously Resolved,—That deep distress arising from want of fuel and food pre¬ vails at present throughout the district of Connemara ; that as residents, vv e can state without the slightest fear of contradiction, that we have no hesitation in stating that there i^ not one-tenth of the quantity of ] »i ttatoes to be found that was last year, and that even this small portion from its not having come to maturity is believed to be unfit for seed— that the com from long continued rains is uttexly useless for seed or i'< tod, and that from the like reason there is an utter dearth of fuel.
That we, therefore, deem it our duty to earnestly call the attention of the Government to this serious state of things with the view of devising some adequate means for the relief of the people, by opening some source of employment as all local efforts would be ineffectual.
No.
2.—Letter
from the Local Government Board to the
Board of Guardians.
Local Government Board, Dublin, •Sib, 4th February, 1873.
The Local Government Board for Ireland have had before them the minutes of proceedings of the Board of Guardians of the Clifden Union on the 29th ulto.,
containing a resolution in which the Guardians draw attention to the destitution arising from want of fuel and food that pre¬ vails throughout the district of Connemara, with a view of devising some adequate means for the relief of the people, by opening some source of employment.
The Guardians state that all local efforts would be ineffectual to relieve the distress represented to exist; and in reference thereto the Board request that they may be informed whether any local effort has yet been made to this end, and if any, of what nature* and to what extent.
There appears to be ample accommodation in the Workhouse, and according to the entry on the Guardians' minutes there are no patients in the Fever Hospital.
The powers of the Local Government Board under see.
2 of 10 Vic, c.
31, could not be exercised under such circumstances.
By order of the Board,
JJ.
Bamo.
To the Clerk, Clifdeu Union,
county Galway.
