§ MR. T. M. HEALY (Longford, N.)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, When will a (Sub-Commission sit to fix fair rents in County Longford; in how many cases have the Land Commission transferred originating notices from the County Court to Sub-Commissions since August last; has this involved great delay in the hearings; are these transfers made for the landlords, as a matter of course, despite the objections of tenants; can he now state the intentions of Government as to appointing at once a Sub-Commission for every Irish county, so that the operation of the eviction notices, which delay favours, may to some extent be met; and, will the County Longford Sub-Commission sit in Granard, in order to shorten the distances tenants have to come?
THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDER SECRETARY (Colonel KING-HARMAN)(who replied) (Kent, Isle of Thanet)said: The Land Commissioners inform mo that a date has not yet been fixed for the next Sub-Commission sitting in the County Longford. The number of cases transferred in that county from the County Court to the Land Commission from September 1, 1887, to March 17, 1888, was 20. Great delay does not appear to have been involved thereby. Transfers are not made as a matter of course. The practice of the Land Commissioners in regard to them is clearly expressed in their Rules. Each application for transfer must be supported by an affidavit that it is not made for the sake of delay; and the opposite party is given an opportunity of showing any grounds whereby the transfer could be unreasonable. As to the last paragraph but one, the Government are anxiously considering what improvement, if any, can be made, so as to deal efficiently with the formidable mass of arrears. In consequence of the difference in the size of the counties, it would be manifestly impossible to have a Court sitting for every county in Ireland. The Commissioners state it has always been the custom of the Sub-Commission to have a sitting in Granard; and they see no reason to suppose that they will depart from that practice.
§ MR. T. M. HEALYMight I ask the right hon. and gallant Gentleman, if the Land Commissioners have given any reason why a Sub-Commission has not sat in Longford, and why the people of Longford are to be delayed any more than any other county?
§ COLONEL KING-HARMANI do not think, as far as I am informed, that there has been any unreasonable delay.
§ MR. T. M. HEALYIs the right hon. and gallant Gentleman aware that a Sub-Commission has not sat in this county for 12 months, while the people are anxiously awaiting it, and numbers of eviction notices have been served?
§ COLONEL KING-HARMANI am aware, from personal knowledge, that the Sub-Commission has sat in Longford within such a remote period.