HC Deb 23 February 1882 vol 266 cc1371-2
MR. M'COAN

asked the First Lord of the Treasury, whether, in view of the very trifling extent to which the Arrears Section (.59) of the Land Law (Ireland) Act has as yet proved operative, Her Majesty's Government intends, by Order in Council or otherwise, to extend the time, now about to expire, during which applications for advances under the said section may be made by tenants desiring to avail themselves of its provisions?

MR. GLADSTONE

With regard to the first part of this Question, the Act leaves no discretion to Her Majesty to proceed by Order in Council, the language of the Act being in the 59th clause—"Application for an advance under this section cannot be made after the 28th of February, 1882." With regard to the other part of the Question—namely, whether we are prepared to proceed otherwise than by Order in Council by submitting a Bill to Parliament—I am not in a position to contract any engagement as to the introduction of any Bill for the amendment of the Land Act.