§ MR. JUSTIN M'CARTHYasked Mr. Attorney General for Ireland, Whether 21 it is a fact that magistrates in the county of Longford have refused to take affidavits from tenants seeking to obtain the benefit of the Arrears Act, thereby compelling the tenants in many cases to go long distances in search of a Commissioner of Affidavits, to whom they have to pay a fee; whether the refusal of the magistrates is warranted by the Law; and, whether, if it be not so, he will endeavour to have the practice discontinued?
§ THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. W. M. JOHNSON), in reply, said, he did not know that magistrates had refused to receive these affidavits, and he had not sufficient time to inquire into the matter. If the hon. Member furnished him with any individual cases, he would have inquiry made into them. He had telegraphed to the Resident Magistrates to know if they had done so, if any of the other magistrates had done so to their knowledge, and he had not yet received a reply. There was a rule made by the Land Commission authorizing the affidavits to be so made, and the same rule also applied to the Arrears Act. He could not imagine but that any magistrate would afford every facility in his power to tenants in these cases; but, as he had not the facts, he was unable to give them a definite answer.