COUNTY GOVERNMENT IN IRELAND.
[To THE EDITOR Or THE " SPECTATOR."] SIR,—In your issue of April 28th, you base an argument against the reform of county government in Ireland on the mismanagement of the relief funds in 1886 by certain Western Unions. May I point out that the inference so drawn is in many respects unfair P There can be no doubt that the mis- management of that relief was most discreditable to the Guardians and demoralising to the people. But certain con- siderations must be borne in mind which serve, if not to excuse them, yet at least to prevent their conduct from being fairly taken as typical of Irish local administration.
1. The money they were dealing with was not their own, but consisted of a free Government grant. It is obvious that in every country there is much greater inducement to extra- vagance with regard to the latter than the former.
2. A sum of £20,000 was allotted for the relief of distress in these six Unions ; but as the proportion in which the money was to be distributed among the Unions was unknown, each adopted an unduly sanguine view of what their share would be.
3. Although the Local Government Board warned these Boards of Guardians, by circular and otherwise, of the dangers they were incurring by their extravagance, yet, in the earlier and more important part of the relief operations, the Guardians did not (owing to the small number of Inspectors) get adequate personal assistance and advice from Government.
4. This was the more necessary as the work was one for which Boards of Guardians are by their constitution ex- tremely unfitted. A small Executive Commission in con- stant session could alone carry out with efficiency and economy large relief works. 5. The ex-officio members of these Boards, many of whom had leisure and experience, were even more than usually negligent in their attendance during the time of the relief.
6. And, after all, these Unions are but six out of 163 in the whole of Ireland, and represent little more than 1 per cent. of the valuation, and tinder 4 per cent. of the population. of the country.
Is it fair that prosperous and peaceful counties in other parts of Ireland should be deprived of self-government, be- cause of the mismanagement of relief funds in very excep- tional circumstances by the representatives of the poorest and most backward districts in Ireland P I must add that, while the reform of county government is both desirable and inevitable, it should be accompanied by the setting-up of a strong controlling administration in Dublin. It is certainly not the fault of the followers of Mr. Gladstone if a unique opportunity has been lost of estab- lishing such a government in Ireland, which would derive its strength from what in modern days is the only sure source of strength,—national adhesion and popular support —I am, Sir, 86e.,
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