MR. O'BRIENasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether Lord Cloncurry has been enabled to reduce his staff of emergency bailiffs on the evicted farms at Murroe by one half in consequence of the action of the Government in allotting two policemen to every party of two bailiffs distributed over the estate; whether any outrage has occurred on the estate, except one for which emergency bailiffs were twice tried; whether it is true that the only tenant on the Murroe estate who has gone into the Land Court, Thomas Fitzgerald, has had his rent reduced from £170 to £130, or 23½ per cent; and, out of what fund the policemen so employed are paid?
§ MR. TREVELYANSir, the number of men in charge of these farms has not been reduced. It is true that two men of the Property Defence Association have been removed; but their places have been otherwise supplied. The police are necessary for the protection of the bailiffs, and their presence has probably prevented outrages; but there have been several cases of assaults on the bailiffs, a case of forcible possession, and some minor offences against property. The police are a part of the County Force, and not charged upon the locality. I am informed that two other tenants besides Thomas Fitzgerald have 934 had fair rents fixed, and obtained reductions of about 19 and 8 per cent respectively.