IRELAND.
The eighth annual Report of the Irish Poor-Law Commissioners is full of cheering prospects for the country. In every one of the great provinces, the demand for labour and the wages of labour have risen considerably on the rate of last year. The demand is described as " un- precedentedly great," and as " steady and increasing." " Money-wages are more generally paid than formerly " in Munster. " The improved
circumstances of the poor" in Connaught "are apparent from their cloth- ing."
"It is thus attested, that universally throughout Ireland a more continu- ous state of employment of agricultural labour prevails; and that wages of Is. per day are given, where formerly the rate was 4d., 6d., or 8d. ; while in most parts of the country a man's wages reach Is. 6d. 2s., or 23. 6d. per day at certain seasons of the year. We believe that to these facts another important element of an improved condition may be added. We allude to the greatly increased demand for the labour of females and young persons of both sexes; which materially assists in rendering the income of an average family more proportioned to their physical wants than it was formerly, not- withstanding-the present very high price of the necessaries of life. In the period of six years, from 1849 to 1864, both years inclusive, we have ascer- tained that considerably more than 200,000 young persona of both sexes have left the workhouses of Ireland, and have not returned to those asylums."
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