§ MR. DILLONwished to put a Question to the Prime Minister, of which he had sent him private Notice.
§ MR. DILLONsaid, he hoped the Prime Minister would be able to answer it without Notice. It was, Whether the right hon. Gentleman had been informed that several writs for arrears of rent had been served on the estates of Lord Rossmore and the Rev. Mr. Aitcheson, in county Monaghan; that three of those writs had been executed on the estate of 1423 the Rev. Mr. Aitcheson, the tenants' interests being purchased on behalf of the landlord by his bailiff, so as to debar those tenants from all rights under the Arrears Bill? Also, whether his attention had been called to a letter from the Rev. Mr. Donnelly, of June l2th, in which he stated that writs were being served all over the Rossmore estate for rents which the tenants had no means of paying—a proceeding which meant the utter destruction and annihilation of the tenants; and, whether, when that same system was being pursued in many parts of Ireland, he, with a view of putting a stop to such a state of things, would not at once introduce a short Bill to put a stay —say for six months—to all evictions in Ireland?
MR. GLADSTONEThe Question is very voluminous and important; and, as the matters to which it refers have not before come to my notice, I am not in a position at this instant to give any answer, except in regard to the last clause—legislation—in respect to which I can only refer the hon. Member, however disappointing it may be, to the answer I have already given — namely, that, in my opinion, it would only make confusion worse confounded if the Government were to attempt to introduce any Bill for the object suggested.