HC Deb 08 March 1883 vol 276 cc1756-7
MR. JUSTIN M'CARTHY

asked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether his attention has been called to the following statement made by Mr. Justice O'Hagan on the subject of the Land Law Act and its interpretation by the Court of Appeal:— I declare it would baffle any human intellect to know what is now to be deemed an unreasonable or unfair covenant, having regard to the Act of 1870. It has been held by the Court of Appeal that a covenant absolutely debarring a tenant, on any pretence, from making improvements is not unfair; and, whether he is prepared to introduce a measure for the purpose of amending the Act?

MR. GIBSON

wished, before the right hon. Gentleman answered the Question of the hon. Member, to ask whether the right hon. Gentleman had read the whole of the judgments of the Court of Appeal relating to the matter referred to by the Lord Chancellor of Ireland?

MR. GLADSTONE

No, Sir; I have had no opportunity of reading the judgments to which the right hon. and learned Gentleman refers. Strictly, my answer to the Question of the hon. Member amounts to a request that he will have the kindness to postpone his Question for a few days, probably until Monday, inasmuch as we have felt it our duty to refer to Ireland for the purpose of obtaining information, and of consulting with the Lord Chancellor of Ireland on the subject.