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474 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE BEFORE SELECT COMMITTEE Esq.
George Ensor, 497' • Are you aware of any efforts that have been made in Ireland by the intro.
duction of spinning by machinery, so as to enter into competition with the machinery ^ of Britain ?—No,
I cannot say that I am ; I know the machinery that is employe/ 8 June, but I cannot say how it contends with the machinery in England.
'
4972.
Do you know any machinery erected of late years for spinning?—Yes
• there is, for instance, one near Newry at Bestbrook.
4973.
Has there been any increase in the cotton manufacture which has been contemporaneous with the decay of the linen manufacture ?—In
my neighbourhood there is a manufacture of mixed materials, which they call unions, that have, in some measure been a Substitute for the linen manufacture, but I imagine that that manufacture will not last.
4974.
Why do you think that?—I
think it will not be found durable; I think the cotton thread and the linen thread wear too much against each other; it is cheap at first, but will not be found so, I fear, ultimately.
4975.
Do you consider that the clothing of the peasantry is any thing better than it used to be ?—No,
I do not think it is ; I think it is much the same.
4976.
Do any of the peasantry in your neighbourhood appear without shoes and stockings ?—Never,
the men ; boys and women do.
4977.
Have the habitations of the poor at all improved ?—I
think the habitations in my neighbourhood are better than they were.
4978.
Is there not a Substitution of cloth in the clothing of the peasantry, for the friezes that were formerly worn ?—No,
I do not perceive any difference.
4979.
In the county of Armagh, are there any public charities supported either partially or in the whole at the expense of the county ?—There
are ; there is the Lunatic Asylum, and there are, I suppose, half a dozen dispensaries, or perhaps more.
4980.
Is not the Lunatic Asylum a late erection ?—It
is.
4981.
Is there under the system of charitable relief that you have described, efficient assistance given to the poor in cases of sickness, or do you consider that that assistance might be extended further with advantage ?—No,
I do not think it could, it would cost more than I think it would be worth: therefore I conclude that it would not be valuable.
4982.
Have you any fever hospital in the county of Armagh?—Yes,
there is one built by the Primate at his own private expense, and maintained at his private expense.
4983.
Have you had periodical recurrences of fever in your county?—Yes,
but at long intervals ; I think about fourteen years ago there was such ; individuals are occasionally affected by fever.
4984.
Have you not a county infirmary at Armagh?—We
have.
4985.
Then you do not think that the system of relief for the sick poor by medical assistance need be carried further than it is at present ?—I
do not.
4986.
Have you served as a grand juror in the county?—I
have.
4987.
Are the presentments, generally speaking, paid to the actual people employed upon the works in money or in goods?—Generally,
I should say that they were paid in money ; but a great portion of them is paid in goods ; not in goods so much as in eatables, potatoes and oatmeal.
4988.
Does not this payment in food enable the employer to charge almost an arbitrary price for the commodity which he sells to his workmen ?—I
should sup-pose he generally gets a third or a fourth more than it is worth.
4989.
If then a system were devised which ensured the payment of public works of that county in money, would not that be a change likely to improve the con-dition and habits of the people ?—No
doubt.
4990.
Do not you think it would also conduce to an economical expenditure upon the public works ?—Certainly.
4991.
Do you consider the present grand jury system of Ireland to be satisfac-tory ?—I
think it very bad.
4992.
In what respects do you think that it is open to objeetion ?—To
all modes of jobbing : as far as my own experience goes, I think there is scarcely any thing that passes through the grand jury that is not jobbed.
4993.
