HC Deb 13 November 1882 vol 274 cc1296-8
MR. O'DONNELL

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, If his attention has been called to the fact that, by the decisions of the Donegal Sub-Commission given at Buncrana, judicial rents were, in some cases, fixed at a higher figure than the estimate of the landlord's valuer, and, in some cases, were raised on the tenants without any application for a rise on the part of the landlord; whether he has seen that, on that occasion, the chairman, in delivering the decision of the Court, stated that, besides the evidence of the witnesses examined before the Court, they had— The report of the Court Valuer, which report, coming as it does from an independent source, unconnected with either party, we consider most valuable; if he will obtain the production of the report of the Court Valuer, together with a statement of the reasons for fixing the rent of the tenants at a higher figure than the estimate of the landlord's valuer; and, if he has not this power, if he will introduce Legislation to submit Court Valuers to open examination in Court?

MR. TREVELYAN

I referred this Question to the Land Commissioners, who inform me that their attention had not been called to the matters referred to in it. With regard to the allegation that rents were raised without any application for an increase on the part of the landlord, the hon. Member must be aware that it is the duty of the Sub-Commission to fix a fair rent, and the absence of such an application does not affect the matter. Any person aggrieved by the decision of a Sub-Commission can have his case re-hoard by three Land Commissioners. A copy of the Court Valuer's Report in any case can be obtained after the hearing on application to the Registrar of the Land Commission, and upon payment of the proper fee, which, on the average, is 6d.

MR. O'DONNELL

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, If his attention has been called to the fact that the tenantry whose cases were for hearing before the Derry Sub-Commission at Limavady declared to the Court through their Counsel that— The official valuer attached to the Court was not competent to perform the duties of a land valuer; that his prejudices and feelings were altogether hostile to their interests; that they did not believe his appointment was legal; and, that, unless the valuer were at once withdrawn, the tenants, as a body, would withdraw from the Court; whether he is aware that, in consequence of the action of the official valuer attached to the Donegal Sub-Commission, withdrawal from the Land Court is contemplated by the Donegal tenantry; whether it is true, as stated by Mr. Roper, the Land Commissioner for Derry, that the Chief Commissioners— Will do nothing without consulting the Lord Lieutenant in the matter, and that, until the Government of the Lord Lieutenant care to alter it, the present mode of doing business must be continued; and, whether the Government will propose an alteration, in conformity with the claims of the tenants?

MR. TREVELYAN

The Land Commissioners have had a correspondence with Mr. Todd, who appeared for a large number of the tenants whose cases to fix fair rents were listed for hearing before the Derry Sub-Commissioners at Limavady; and I find from that correspondence that these tenantry have threatened to withdraw from the Court on the grounds stated in the Question. The Land Commissioners wrote to Mr. Roper, asking if he made use of the words attributed to him; and I have just had a telegram from them stating that the report is substantially accurate. They add, in their telegram, that the tenants referred to in the Question have now decided not to withdraw their cases, but to proceed with them.

MR. O'DONNELL

asked whether the right hon. Gentleman would introduce legislation for having Court Valuers submitted to open examination in Court?

MR. TREVELYAN

said, he thought it would be better that the intentions of the Government in that matter should be indicated in debate, and not in answer to a Question.

MR. LEWIS

asked what day the Government intended to give with the view of debating the working of the Land Act?

MR. TREVELYAN

replied that, speaking personally, he certainly courted debate on the subject in the course of the present Session; and he had no doubt the Prime Minister would readily answer any Question which the hon. Gentleman might address to him on the subject.