| Show Forster and Farm ILnborere London 8Forter chief secretary for Ireland today received a deputation of Irish farm laborers W O Sullivan homerule member of Parliament for Limerick C unty in introducing them Bead great distress existed among laborers labor-ers owing to the waht of homes and a small quantity of land and that the session of Parliament should not be al lowed to pas without settling the question lion Other represantatives spoke in favor of the clause Of the land bill allow ing laborers to hold one acre of lens land from the tenancy under ten + nt farmers or landlords and converting them into tenants under that bill and and that the poor law union and town have the power to allot suburban land for laborers homes These measures were urged not only in the interest ot la orers but of taxpayers as they wanted to free laborers from any dependence de-pendence upon the poor rates Forster replying to one of the delegation sail when government were ready to confer the franchia0 upon agricultural laborers the measure would not be confined to England but would be extended to Scotland Scot-land and Ireland As to the object of the deputation he knew the condition of laborers was very bad but the mttte was most difficult to deal with He re jvct d the idea of the state providing cottages and land as impracticable but the state he said might help to remove obstacles to their petting good employment employ-ment or good c ttages and might give facilities or offer tempt at i n to persons interested to improve their condition He could not say what could be done at this session of Parliament All must try to do their duty and insure the land bill It does not leave the laborer in a worse position than he is now If government gov-ernment could do more they would try if not this year as seon as possible |
