HC Deb 30 July 1888 vol 329 cc739-40
MR. CAREW (Kildare, N.)

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether he can state if an eviction notice under the 7th section of "The Land Law (Ireland) Act, 1887," was on May 29 last served on James Keely, a tenant on the Castletown (County Kildare) Estate of the representatives of the late Thomas Connolly, esquire; whether he is aware that Mr. Keely's old rent is £97 15s. 4d., though his valuation is only £89 10s., but that he was unable to apply to have a fair rent fixed during the term of his lease, which only expired in April, 1887; whether Mr. Keely, in June, 1887, served an originating notice to have a fair rent fixed; whether the application was listed for hearing before the Sub-Commission which was to have sat in Naas during the present month; whether the sitting of this Commission has been postponed to December or January next, when Mr. Keely's right of redemption shall have expired, notwithstanding that the decision to be then given would affect the rent running from May, 1887; and, whether he will cause the application to be heard at once, in order to save the tenant from the confiscation by his landlord of his improvements?

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

I am informed that the reply to the inquiries in the first, third, and fourth paragraphs is in the affirmative. The valuation of the farm is £89 10s., and of the house and offices £5. The yearly rent is £97 15s. 8d. The Land Commissioners state that the case as listed for hearing at the recent Sub-Commission was not reached; but that if it be the fact that Keely was served with an eviction notice on May 29 last, as stated in the Question (of which, however, they were not aware), his case, even if reached, could not have been heard with the result of having a fair rent fixed unless he had redeemed his holding, but must have stood adjourned pending redemption. The tenant could, without doubt, have obtained a stay of ejectment proceedings upon proper terms had he applied to the Court. (Section 13, Sub-section 3, 1881.)