HC Deb 15 May 1882 vol 269 cc661-2
MR. JUSTIN M'CARTHY

asked Mr. Attorney General for Ireland, Whether he is aware that several tenants on the Blackall Estate, in Longford County, applied on the 11th of last November to the Land Court to have their rents fixed, having previously offered to settle out of Court, and whether, although Land Courts have sat in Granard at least twice since then, those applications have not yet been ever "listed;" and, whether the Government can take any steps to protect those tenants from eviction during the long interval that seems likely to elapse before their applications come to be dealt with by the Land Court?

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

Sir, ten of Major Blackall's tenants in the Poor Law Union of Granard have applied to the Land Court to have fair rents fixed. Their cases will be "listed" for the next sittings at Granard, the prior applications having been nearly all disposed of.

MR. JUSTIN M'CARTHY

asked if the tenants had not served the originating notices on November 11 last?

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

said, there were 352 cases from the district lodged prior to these cases, and, of course, they would be heard before them.

MR. JUSTIN M'CARTHY

asked Mr. Attorney General for Ireland, Whether his attention has been called to the decision given by the Land Commission in the case of the Keel Mountain tenants in Longford County; whether the ruling of the majority of the Commissioners affirmed that in cases in which the landlord borrowed money from the Board of Works to be expended in drainage, and charged the tenants 6½ per cent for the money, which amount was paid by them for 17 years, the improvement is wholly the property of the landlord, and is not to be taken into account in fixing the judicial rent which the tenants are to pay for the future; and, whether he will recommend such an amendment of the Land Act as will secure tenants against loss of this character?

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

Sir, there is no record in the Land Commission, so far as I can ascertain, of the decision stated in the Question. The Schedule to the Orders of the Longford Sub-Commission, in the case of the Keel Mountain tenants, states that certain drainage improvements belonged to the landlord. Beyond that, I can give no information; but, of course, if that Order is erroneous, it should be reviewed on appeal.