§ MR. TOTTENHAMasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, If it is the fact that, in the appeal cases under the Land Act recently heard at Castlebar, the report of the official valuator was completely ignored by the Land Commissioners, who fixed the rents at a sum considerably lower than that recommended by him; whether he stated that in the large majority of these cases no improvements whatever were visible; whether great dissatisfaction on the part of the landowners exists in this district at the manner in which these appeals have been dealt with; and, whether he will lay upon the Table a Return of the appeals tried before the Land Commissioners up to the present date, specifying—(1) old rent; (2) judicial rent; (3) rent fixed by judicial valuator, stating whether he certifies that there are any improvements; and (4) appeal rent?
§ MR. TREVELYANSir, the Irish Land Commissioners inform me that, in deciding on appeal cases at Castlebar, they gave their judgments on their own responsibility, after hearing the evidence and considering the reports of the valuer, and they must decline to enter further into the matter. They have no knowledge whatever of their decisions having given dissatisfaction. If the hon. Member wishes to move for a Return showing (1) the old rent of a holding, (2) the rent fixed by order of the Sub-Commission, and (3) the rent fixed by the Court of Appeal, I have no objection to letting him have it; but I cannot consent to give him the reports of the official valuers.
§ MR. DILLONasked if there would be any objection to include in the Return the two columns which, he believed, originally appeared in the one furnished to the Commissioners themselves containing the valuations of the tenants' and landlords' valuators respectively?
§ MR. TREVELYANsaid, he could not promise that. Any question which had 403 reference to the Land Commission must be referred to the Commission.
§ MR. DILLONsaid, he would repeat his Question on Monday next.