HC Deb 21 May 1880 vol 252 cc224-6
LORD GEORGE HAMILTON

I bog leave to ask the honourable Member for Donegal, in reference to a Question which has stood in his name for three weeks upon the Notice Paper, imputing to a Peer, contrary to the privileges of this House, an improper interference with the Parliamentary Voters upon his estates, If it is now his intention to ask that Question, which runs as follows:— To ask the Chief Secretary for Ireland, if it is true that, since the General Election, the Duke of Abercorn has issued notices to quit upon the tenants of his estates in Donegal; and, if so, when he proposes to ask it?

MR. LEA

In answer to the Question of the noble Lord I wish to take this opportunity of stating that when I gave Notice of the Question considerable excitement existed in Donegal and the neighbouring counties, from notices to quit, which were described in the Press as "wholesale," and about which there was a widespread belief that such notices would be general, and were consequent upon the result of the late General Election. Hence I was informed that it was very desirable that some public statement should be made by which the true facts might come to light, and by which the general anxiety should be relieved, and I knew of no better plan than by applying to the Chief Secretary for Ireland. From inquiries that have since been made, I find that the notices to quit were only in certain districts on the noble Duke's estate —26 or 27 being served in the village of St. Johnstone—and I think it only just and fair to the noble Duke to state that those evictions do not appear to have had the slightest connection with the result of the General Election. Under these circumstances, as the noble Lord has given me an opportunity to make this statement, I do not intend to pursue the question further.

LORD GEORGE HAMILTON

As this is a personal question I wish, with the permission of the House, to add one or two words. The Question of the hon. Gentleman has attracted a great deal of notice in the North of Ireland; and in consequence of that Question a number of articles of a scurrilous nature have appeared, attributing all sorts of motives to the Duke of Abercorn, and charging him with giving wholesale notices to quit. His tenants number between 300 and 400, and it is needless for me to say that no notice of any kind whatever was issued on the Duke of Abercorn's tenants in consequence of the result of the General Election. His agent in this matter, who has had the management of this estate for 34 years, says there has not been a single eviction in any part of it during that time. In St. Johnstone certain improvements were desired by the tenants in the shape of cattle and corn markets, &c, and to carry out these and other improvements notices to quit were served on persons occupying for the most part tumbledown cottages. Not one of the occupiers was entitled to a vote through that occupation, and only two were qualified through other occupations, and their qualifications were in no wise interfered with. I would only add that if the hon. Member in future wishes— ["Order!"]—I only venture to suggest — ["Order!"]

MR. SPEAKER

The House is always indulgent in any matter of personal explanation; but the noble Lord is not entitled to make any reflection on the hon. Member.

LORD GEORGE HAMILTON

If anybody wished to obtain any information concerning the management of the Duke of Abercorn's estate, he would be more likely to obtain it from primary than secondary sources.