§ MR. SEXTONasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether, in view of the impending discussion of the Irish Land question, he can indicate how soon the Minutes of Evidence taken before the Irish Land Act Commissioners, and referred to in their official report, bearing date the 4th of January, will probably be placed in the hands of Members; and, also, whether he will cause to be laid upon the Table of the House, in time for the debates upon the relation of landlord and tenant in Ireland, a Return of the amounts lent to Irish landlords under the Relief of Distress Acts (1880) for execution of improvements on their properties, specifying the amount of the loan allotted and issued to each landowner, and the amount certified by the Board of Works as having been expended on improvements by each landlord up to the present date?
§ THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. LAW)Sir, the first volume of the Minutes of Evidence taken before this Commission will be delivered to the hon. Members on or before Friday next. I understand that this volume will consist of about 900 pages—namely, 752 pages of evidence, and 146 of digest. The second and concluding volume of evidence will follow as soon as possible. With regard to the second subject alluded to in the Question, I think the hon. Member will find that the greater part of the information asked for has already been presented to the House, on the Motion 1949 of the hon. Member for Salford (Mr. Arthur Arnold), who, on the 11th of January, obtained a Return dealing with all such loans up to the 31st of December, 1880. That Return was presented on the 21st of February, and ordered to be printed on the 23rd; but I do not think it has yet been circulated.