LABOURERS IN RURAL PARISHES.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE SPECTATOR."] Sin,—Being interested in the subject brought forward in the Spectator concerning the lack of labourers in rural parishes, I made inquiries while visiting lately in the neighbourhood of Ormekirk, where an early and abundant harvest was being gathered in. There is a sufficient Irish population in that part of the country to supply all the labourers wanted. In this part Irishmen used formerly to come over in good numbers for the hay harvest, some only remaining for the season, and some staying a year or two ; as I often wrote the letters enclosing postal orders to the wives and families I am not ignorant of the subject, and it seemed to we that the views expressed in the Spectator were very hopeless, because the Irish actualities and possibilities were ignored. This summer I met a number of strong-looking young men (Irishmen) who had tramped from Liverpool and asked me the way to the nearest farm, honest-looking, respectable young fellows, who would, I expect, like those whom I knew formerly, go on from one part of the country to another, remaining as long as they
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