From this Report we learn that there were, at the time, 2049 electoral
divisions in Ireland; and from a later one, that Blackrock, near Dublin,
was the smallest electoral division, consisting only of 257 acres; that
the largest was Belmullet, in the County of Mayo, which contained
145,598 acres. The extremes in the valuation of electoral divisions
were,--Mullaghderg, in Glenties Union, L331 10s. 0d.; South Dublin,
L402,516 3s. 4d. So that a shilling rate levied off Mullaghderg would
produce just L16 12s. 6d., which in all probability would not pay for
the time necessary to collect it.[247]
The Commissioners report, that two conditions laid down by them had
called forth several remonstrances, namely, (1) The prohibition of
administering relief under the Act _in aid of wages_; and (2) The
restriction to the sale of food under cost price, with the exception of
soup.
The quantity of stationery necessary for the carrying out of the Relief
Act is certainly worth noting. In the mere preparation for their work,
the Commissioners had delivered to them upwards of 10,000 books, 80,000
sheets, and 3,000,000 of card tickets; the gross weight of all not being
less than fourteen tons! Two Inspectors, Major Parker and Captain Drury,
having caught fever at Skibbereen and Kinsale respectively, fell victims
to it.
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