§ MR. MARUMasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether his attention has been called to the action of Captain Gorges Hely, landlord of the townsland of Ballyonskill, in the county of Kilkenny, who, having been paid his rents by the solvent tenantry, in a great measure through the intervention of the local clergy, and upon an understanding that he would forbear as to those unable to meet their engagements, until an Arrears of Rent measure should be passed, has nevertheless, during the past week, proceeded with evictions of those tenantry so unable to pay; whether the Military and Civil Forces have been employed on several occasions at these evictions, although even the Conservative local organ testifies to the peaceable and orderly demeanour of the people of the locality as well as the evicted tenantry under the irritating circumstances of being deprived of their homes and of the crops recently sown in their holdings; and, whether the Government can take any action in the matter?
§ MR. TREVELYANSir, I have received a telegram from the local Constabulary, stating that Captain Hely did not make any such undertaking as the Question states. On the 7th instant, he evicted nine tenants; but first offered liberal abatements—for example, in one case he offered to take six months' rent where four years' was due. Some of the evicted tenants have now paid, and 1606 have re-occupied their holdings. On the requisition of the Sub-Sheriff and Resident Magistrate, military and police protected the Sub-Sheriff and his bailiffs in the service of writ and eviction. The Government does not intend to take any action in the matter.