LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (IRELAND)
(APPREHENDED DISTRESS).
RETURN" to an Order of the Honourable The House of Commons,
dated 30 November 1882 :—for, COPY "of the Reports made by the Inspectors of the Local Government, Board on the Subject of Apprehended Distress in the Ennistymon and Corrofin Unions, dated the 6th and 10th days of November 1882 respectively."
(No.
34,161—82.)
REPORT of Dr.
G.
F.
Roughan to the Local Government Board.
CORROFIN UNION.
Gentlemen, Galway, 10 November 1882.
In pursuance of instructions conveyed to me in your letter of the 7th instant, I proceeded at once to Corrofin Union.;
and made inquiry as to the appre¬ hended distress referred to in a resolution of the guardians on the 2nd instant.
I drove through several portions of the union said to be most distressed, making inquiry as I went along as to the condition of the people, and subsequently attended a meeting of the board of guardians on yesterday, when the matter was fully, aud as appeared to me, fairly discussed.
I regret to state that, except in Newland, an extensive failure in the potato crop—the most sanguine estimated as equal to half last year's crop, while others estimated at one-third,—the potatoes are very small, aud in some places not worth the trouble of digging -y the failure is not owing to the old disease, but has been caused by a want of growth in the tubers, attributable to the wetness and coldness of the latter days of Summer, and the commencement of August.
Potatoes are now selling in Corrofin for 6 d.
per stone, while they could be had last year for 3 d.
There is little or no employment given by the farmers in this union; it was the same last year, but then the small labourers and cottiers had a supply of potatoes which maintained them in comparative comfort, but this year, or at least in the beginning of next, they will be without potatoes or the means of purchasing other description of food.
Up to this time no undue pressure in the poor law system has taken place, as in
Out-door Relief.
In 1879 there were 100 persons on out-door relief.
1881
"
1882 ,,
95 ,, 169 Indoor Relief.
In 18/9 there
1880
„ 1881
„ 1882 „
were in Workhouse
3)
1
1
1
1
-144
-132
* 116
-107 There are two rates struck annually in this union, usually in January and July.
426.
A
