MR. MACARTNEYasked Mr. Attorney General for Ireland, Whether he 733 is aware that the officials of the Irish Land Commission decline to acknowledge the receipt by Post of stamped agreements entered into voluntarily by landlords and tenants in Ireland for the purpose of fixing a fair rent for fifteen years, and also refuse to give any acknowledgment of having received similar notices when left at the Land Commission Office; and, whether such refusal is sanctioned or directed by the Chief Land Commissioners; and, if so, upon what grounds? He also wished to know whether the demand made by the Stamp Office as to the scale of stamp duty to be charged had been sanctioned by the Treasury?
§ THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. W. M. JOHNSON)Sir, with regard to the last Question, the matter, which is entirely abnormal, is under the consideration of the Law Officers of the Crown, and no opinion has yet been given. The agreements, to which the Question of the hon. Member refers, are those in Form 33, in the Schedule to the Rules of October last. Up to the 6th of February, 1882, those agreements were considered originating notices, and on receipt were filed on the record of the Court, and, therefore, not otherwise acknowledged; but on that date the Land Commission judicially decided that they were not originating notices, and ever since the 6th of February, those which are forwarded by post are duly acknowledged, and for those which are lodged by hand a receipt is given if requested.