MR. O'CONNOR POWERasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, What is the practice of the Land Commission Court in reference to money lodged by tenants to the credit of the Commission under the Arrears Act; and, whether it is a fact that deposits made by tenants, who paid the 1881 rent, are still withheld from them?
§ MR. TREVELYANThe Land Commission was authorized by Section 1, sub-section 5, of the Arrears Act, to receive money from tenants in respect of the rent for the year 1881; the object of the sub-section being to facilitate the payment by the tenant of that rent, if there was any difficulty either on the part of the landlord being unwilling to receive it, or on account of his absence from Ireland. When such payment is made, the Act requires the Commissioners to pay it over to the landlord. A repayment to a tenant can, therefore, only be made by the consent of the landlord.