HC Deb 13 July 1882 vol 272 cc265-6
MR. BRODRICK

asked Mr. Attorney-General for Ireland, Whether his attention has been called to the remarks of Mr. Joshua Clarke, Q.C., County Court Judge of Queen's County in the land case of Diegen v. Adair, tried before him June 13th, as reported in the "Irish Law Times and Solicitors' Journal:"— I know nothing about land. If I went out in the fields to look at them and had some sods cut up, I would not he one hit wiser than are some of these land commissioners. I would take Griffiths' valuation and the landlord's rent. Suppose Griffiths' valuation to be £20 and the rent £30, I would simply split the differences and settle the new rent at £25, thus giving half the valuation to the tenant. That is my fixed rule and one I will not depart from, and it is just as well you should all know it in case I come here again; and, what steps he will take to secure the proper administration of the Land Act in cases which may come before Mr. Joshua Clarke, Q.C.?

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. W. M. JOHNSON)

, in reply, said, he had not had an opportunity of seeing the number of The Irish Law Times in which the remarks in question were said to be reported; but the County Court Judge had favoured him with a statement of the facts, which ho certainly should not have thought of calling for. His statement was shortly this. At the last Abbeyloix Quarter Sessions there were three small cases in which the tenants sought for a reduction of rent. As that depended on an inspection of the land, the Judge stated that he himself was not a good judge of the value of land, and suggested to the solicitors for the landlord and the tenants whether they could not come to some arrangement. They professed themselves willing to do so. He said— I suppose the tenant will want Griffith's valuation, and I suppose the landlord considers the present rent a fair one. Now, gentlemen, if you put your heads together don't you think you could split the difference? Being sensible men, they did split the difference, and the parties on both sides expressed themselves perfectly satisfied with the arrangement made. Ho had no further answer to give.