§ MR. HERONasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland, Whether the attention of Government has been called to the fact that the Commissioners of Church Temporalities in Ireland, in their notices to immediate lessees or tenants that they are willing to sell to them the fee-simple, almost invariably demand thirty years' purchase on the rack rent of the lands, although under the Act tithe rent charge may be sold for twenty-two and a half years' purchase, and perpetuity rents at twenty-five years' purchase; whether such a practice does not tend to destroy the right of pre-emption which it was intended the tenants should have, and to prevent the tenant farmers from becoming owners of their lands in fee-simple; and, whether it is the intention of the Government to introduce any measure on the subject?
THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTONsaid, in reply, that, owing to the office of the Commissioners being temporarily closed, he had been unable to obtain any information on the subject. As soon as he got it he would communicate with the hon. Member.