§ THE CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEES (The Duke of BUCKINGHAM and CHANDOS)said, it would be in the recollection of their Lordships that in the year 1886 the question of extraordinary tithe received a great deal of notice in consequence of certain occurrences which drew public attention to it. At the same time, a Bill was being passed through Parliament for the settlement of the question, which, no doubt, demanded as early a settlement as possible. Although it was considered that some difficulties might arise in the adjustment of the matter, the Land Commissioners, in their Report last year, said that it was not possible to foresee causes of delay which might arise in carrying out the Act, but that endeavours would be made to bring the work as near completion as possible at the close of the next financial year. They were now approaching the close of the financial year, but as yet there were no signs of the completion of the work. Meanwhile, there had been much difficulty in connection with the collection of tithe, and there were many refusals to pay pending a settlement of the question. As there had been no notification of any progress being made in the matter since the Land Commissioners issued a paragraph a year ago, he ventured to ask the Government, Whether they can inform the House when the Land Commissioners for England are likely to announce their first case of ascertained capital value of extraordinary tithe re Redemption Act, 1886?
§ EARL BROWNLOW, in reply, said, that the Land Commissioners for England expected to be able to grant certificates of the capital value of extraordinary tithe in certain parishes in the course of the next few days. He might add that further information upon the subject would be found in the last year's annual Report of the Commissioners.