Mr. Labouchere said in reply
that the greatest caution was necessary in removing the labourers from
the works, and that although twenty per cent. of them were ordered to be
struck off on the 20th instant, that did not mean that twenty per cent.
of the people employed in every district on public works should be
dismissed, but that in the aggregate twenty per cent. of those employed
should be put off, leaving to the Irish Government to decide upon the
proportion to be removed from each district. It would be necessary and
proper to make a general reduction, but the Irish Government was left to
the exercise of its discretion in making the several reductions by
districts, as the executive in Ireland could best decide where it might
be dangerous or improper to make any change, and where a change might be
made with propriety and safety.
Four days later, on the question that the Irish Poor Relief Bill should
be re-committed, Mr. O'Brien again adverted to the discharge of the
labourers from the public works. He repeated, that the House and others
had been led to believe, that the dismissal would not take place until
new measures for temporary relief should come into operation; that,
nevertheless, in various parts of Ireland labourers had been dismissed
before any other relief had been provided; and he had, he said, received
from a part of the county he represented a letter from a Protestant
clergyman, stating that not only twenty per cent.
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