HC Deb 12 July 1888 vol 328 cc1073-5
MR. KILBRIDE (Kerry, S.)

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether he can state how many applications to fix fair rents under the Land Act of 1881 remain unheard in the Unions of Athy, Abbeyleix, and Carlow, with date of service; whether he is aware that in the Athy Union, William Moloney, whose rent is £11 2s. 6d., valuation £5 15s., served notice on his landlord, Sir A. Weldon, on November 5, 1886, to have a fair rent fixed; whether he is aware that in this Union several originating notices were served by tenants in November and December, 1886; whether he can state from what date the fair rents of these tenants will commence to run; whether he is aware that cases have been adjudicated on under the Act of 1887 in Dublin and Wicklow; why it is that arrears under the Act of 1881 have not been worked off previous to the hearing of cases under the Act of 1887; and, when will the Sub-Commissioners sit for the Unions of Athy, Abbeyleix, and Carlow?

THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR) (Manchester, E.)

The Land Commissioners inform me that the number of applications to fix fair rents under the Land Act of 1881, and which remain unheard, are—in the Union of Athy, 205; in the Union of Abbeyleix, 218; in the Union of Carlow, 311. The date of service of the earliest application in each Union is as follows:—Athy, May 26, 1886; Abbeyleix, January 10, 1887; Carlow, August 16, 1886. There is, however, one case in the Athy Union served on January 3, 1885, which has been three times before the Court, and was each time adjourned for sufficient reason. It is the fact that in the Athy Union William Moloney, whose rent is stated to be £11 2s. 6d., Poor Law valuation £5 15s., served notice on his landlord, Sir A. Weldon, on November 5, 1886. The originating notice, however, erroneously set forth the lands as in the County Kildare; whereas they were, in fact, in the Queen's County. The mistake was corrected by Order dated January 18, 1887. The period from which the fair rent, when ascertained by the Sub-Commission, shall run is fixed by the 5th section of the Land Law (Ireland) Act, 1887. Cases have been adjudicated on under the Act of 1887 in the Counties of Dublin and Wicklow, and also in other counties. The time at the disposal of the Sub-Commissioners is allocated to districts in rotation as far as conveniently may be; and it may, and does, happen that in some districts cases under the Act of 1887 have been heard, while in other districts the number of earlier cases to be disposed of has prevented the Sub-Commission reaching them. But it is the practice of the Land Commission to dedicate more of the time of the Sub-Commissions to districts where cases under the Act of 1881 exists, so as to work off the prior arrears, than to districts where no such cases exist, or are comparatively few in number. The Sub-Commission at present sitting in County Kildare has on its list 27 cases from the Union of Athy. A Sub-Commission sat in County Carlow last month, and is there at present. The Irish Land Commissioners are not in a position at present to state when a Sub-Commission will sit for the Union of Abbeyleix.

MR. KILBRIDE

Can the right hon. Gentleman state when the Sub-Commission will sit in the town of Carlow?

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

At present I have given all the information which the Commissioners have conveyed to me; but if the hon. Gentleman will put a further Question on the Paper I will inquire.