HC Deb 04 December 1890 vol 349 cc539-40
MR. M'CARTAN

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he will state the number of fair rent appeals heard and decided by the Chief Land Commission during its last sitting at Belfast; in how many cases were the fair rents reduced and increased respectively; what number of appeals were dismissed; how many appeals were listed from the Union of Down Patrick, in the County of Down; why the farmers and their witnesses were put to the expense and inconvenience of traveling such a considerable distance, from Down Patrick, which is an Assize town, to Belfast, to attend the hearing there, and why the Land Commission did not hold a sitting at Down Patrick; whether the gentleman who is Court Valuer for the Land Commission in County Down was formerly a Sub-Commissioner in Down; and why the rents fixed by three Sub-Commissioners in County Down were increased at this sitting on the Report of one ex-Sub-Commissioner?

MR. MADDEN

The Land Commissioners report that during their last sitting at Belfast 83 fair rent appeal cases were heard, with the following results:—Rents reduced, 5; increased, 27; decisions of Sub-Commissioners affirmed, 39; originating notices dismissed on law points, 6; judgment reserved, 6. From Downpatrick Union 54 cases were listed for hearing. Of these 45 appeared before the Court. The Commissioners state that it has been their practice to hear appeals from Downpatrick Union at Belfast, except on one occasion when the Appeal Court sat t Downpatrick for that purpose. Mr. Bomford, the valuer, has not acted as an Assistant Commissioner in Down since upwards of four years ago. He did not act as Assistant Commissioner in any of the cases listed at Belfast. The Commissioners, in arriving at their decisions, had before them not only the Reports of their Court Valuer, but also the evidence produced before them, both on behalf of the landlords and the tenants.

MR. M'CARTAN

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the only additional evidence was that of the Court Valuer, who was, to some extent, the representative of the landlords?

MR. MADDEN

I have given the hon. Gentleman all the information I have.

MR. M'CARTAN

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that some of these poor tenants had to travel a distance of more than 40 miles, and to pay their own expenses?

MR. MADDEN

I will call the attention of the Commission to the fact.