§ MR. HEALYasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Is it a fact that thirty-four applications to fix fair rents on the estate of Julius Casement, recorded previous to 12th November 1881, eleven on the estate of William C. Mann, twenty-two on the estate of John McMeekin, five on the estate of Robert William Newton, five on the estate of William Hutchison, five on the estate of Reverend Hall Stewart, seven on the estate of Jane Smith, making altogether ninety-six cases in county Derry, none of which have been yet listed for hearing, and that the tenants are still paying the old rents; if any and what steps are being taken to get these and other tenants the benefit of the Land Act; is he aware that in some instances cases have been heard and disposed of which were listed long after the 12th of November 1881, leaving other tenants whose applications were recorded previous thereto still unheard; and, if he will direct these cases to be at once listed for hearing?
§ MR. TREVELYANThe first paragraph of the Question gives the number of applications with tolerable accuracy. 212 There were 400 applications lodged before the date mentioned, and all are sent for trial in the order of their receipt in the Land Commission Office. None lodged after have been tried, with the exception of two cases in which evictions had taken place, and which, according to the Commissioner's practice, were listed for hearing out of their regular course, so that the tenants might not, by being evicted, lose the benefit of the Land Law Act. A special Sub-Commission has been appointed for Londonderry, with a view of disposing, as rapidly as possible, of the large number of cases awaiting trial in that county.